Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Monday, Oct. 14, that he did not sign the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the Negros Island Region (NIR) because the provision on setting up of satellite offices was not included.
Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District) also earlier said she did not sign the IRR for the same reason.
She had pushed for the inclusion of a provision that satellite offices would be set up in the NIR provinces where regional offices of national government agencies or departments are not located, which was approved during their Technical Working Group meeting, Alvarez said.
However, when the IRR was sent out for signing that provision was removed, she said.
Benitez said that provision was very clear during the TWG and he supported Siquijor Rep. Zaldy Villa’s position that the satellite offices should be in the three provinces.
A satellite office does not have to be a building or a complete office, it can be a desk which they agreed on, he said.
When the IRR was released for signing what was placed is the agencies may put satellite offices in Siquijor, he said.
“We wanted the NIR to be a model region where all departments and agencies would have the capability to do transactions wherever and whenever,” he added.
The satellite offices could have physical or virtual presence, he said.
“We will appeal for their understanding as it can be done without much cost,” he said.
Benitez also said when he is elected to Congress he can also push for the satellite offices.
Alvarez also said she will push for an amendment to the NIR law in the next Congress to include the provision on the satellite offices.*