BACOLOD CITY – Mayor Albee Benitez here has sought the prompt appointment of officers-in-charge (OICs) for Negros Island Region (NIR) offices.
MAYOR Albee Benitez with Negros Occidental Rep. Mercedes Alvarez-Lansang lead the Committee on Visayas Development meeting with various agencies at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Feb. 24 to expedite the appointment of regional directors for the newly established Negros Island Region (NIR). (Photo via Mayor Albee Benitez Facebook)
Benitez recently convened a Committee on Visayas Development meeting with various agencies at the House of Representatives in Quezon City to expedite the appointment of regional directors.
Their appointment, he said, is vital to strengthening governance in the region.
Benitez pointed out that many agencies already have appointed regional directors and several offices are operational with plantilla workers in place.
However, delays persist, with three to four out of the 36 departments not attending the meeting, and two departments, including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), still lacking OIC appointments.
Benitez expressed concerns about some agencies relying on coordinators or caretakers who lack authority to make important decisions. This has raised questions regarding their legal capacity to sign official documents.
He said that NIR operations cannot be paused and he has called on relevant committees to push department secretaries to appoint OICs with the authority to make necessary decisions.
Some departments have appointed OICs or directors concurrent with their designations in Regions 6 and 7.
Benitez said that the NIR Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) were published on Feb. 3 and formalized on Feb. 18 and these officially recognized the region as operational.
Ninety percent of the region is now operational but the lack of specific budget allocations for NIR last year remains a hurdle.
Benitez said that funding for the NIR will be sourced from the central office which will decide on the allocation for the offices with this year focused on a transition phase.