MANILA, June 5 — President Aquino has issued Executive Order no. 183 creating a Negros Island Region (NIR), comprising of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental.
The President signed the order last May 29 “to further accelerate the social and economic development of the cities and municipalities comprising the provinces of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental and improve the delivery of public services” in the two provinces.
The 0rder stated the formation of a NIR-Technical Working Group (NIR-TWG), composed of the Office of the President (OP), Department of Budget and Management, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and representatives of the two provinces.
The group will formulate a roadmap to put in place the institutional arrangements for the NIR by 2015-2016; recommend to the OP the preferred Regional Center; arrange the requirements for organizational development, staffing and budgeting of regional line and regulatory agencies, as well as the imperatives for development planning and investment programming.
The Regional Councils and the government agencies designated as their interim secretariats are Negros Island Development Council-NEDA; Negros Island Peace and Order Council-DILG; and Negros Island DRRM Council-Office of Civil Defense.
The Order stated that the funding for the NIR-TWG will come from the implementing agencies of the NIR-TWG and the two provinces, subject to the availability of funds and upon compliance with all applicable laws and budgetary, accounting, and auditing rules and regulations.
It also directed all departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and instrumentalities of the national government, including government-owned or -controlled corporations and government financial institutions, to extend the working group their full assistance. (PND)