WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 429, series of 1990, reorganized the administrative regions in Mindanao to guarantee the effect delivery of the field services of government agencies by taking into consideration the formation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao;

WHEREAS, Section 1 of EO 429 reorganized Region IX and designated the Cities of Pagadian And Zamboanga as the regional center and commercial and industrial center, respectively;

WHEREAS, by virtue of Memorandum Circular No. 75, series of 2004, all regional offices of departments were directed to transfer from Zomboanga City to Pagadian City as soon as practicable, except the Department of Trade and Industries, Department of Labor and Employment and Department of Tourism, which shall remain in Zamboanga City but shall establish a presence in Pagadian City;

WHEREAS, since 1990, the Pagadian Regional Center Management and Coordinating Office (PRCMCO) reported that, out of the 121 regional offices of agencies, only 32 have fully transferred from Zamboanga City to Pagadian City, 12 agencies have partially transferred; while six (6) have only established satellite offices;

WHEREAS, the employees of regional offices have experienced, or are experiencing high economic and social costs in maintaining two residences and in fully transferring to Pagadian City;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR., Executive Secretary, by the authority of the President, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, do hereby order;

SECTION 1. All departments, bureaus and other government agencies are enjoined to suspend the transfer of their offices in Region IX from Zamboanga City to Pagadian City pending the study on the matter and consultations with relevant stakeholders to be jointly conducted by the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Civil Service Commission (CSC), National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

The Regional Offices that are already in Pagadian City shall continue to operate thereat.

SECTION 2. The above-mentioned Departments and Agencies tasked to conduct the study on the matter shall immediately submit a comprehensive report of their finding together with their recommendations to the President thirty (30) working days after the issuance of this Memorandum Circular.

SECTION 3. This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately.

 

	By the President:
	(Sgd.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.
	Executive Secretary
By the Executive Secretary:
(Sgd.) JOSE AMOR M. AMORADO
Senior Deputy Executive Secretary

Manila , 22 December 2010