WHEREAS, Executive Order (EO) No. 183 (s. 2015) created the Negros Island Region (NIR), composed of the Provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental and all the cities, municipalities,, and barangays embraced therein;

WHEREAS, Section 2 of EO No. 183 provided for the creation of the NIR- Technical Working Group (NIR-TWG) composed of representatives from the Office of the President, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), National Economic and Development Authority, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and representatives of the Provinces of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental; and

WHEREAS, EO No. 183 tasked the NIR-TWG to arrange the requirements for organizational development, staffing, and budgeting of regional line and regulatory agencies.

NOW, THEREFORE, all Heads of National Government Agencies, including Government-Owned or -Controlled Corporations, are hereby directed to extend full assistance to the NIR-TWG, in support of the required actions for transition to the NIR, subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations, as follows:

1. Undertake preliminary transition measures, including the designation of Interim Regional Directors, not later than 1 October 2015;
2. Complete transition measures by 1 January 2016, in time for the opening of the NIR;
3. Organize and/or establish Regional Offices (RO), including ROs for attached agencies, in either Bacolod City or Dumaguete City (Annex A), in accordance with the guidelines to be issued by the DBM, and until such time that the Regional Center is developed; and
4. Program the transfer of data and other assets of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental from Region VI and Region VII, respectively, into the new NIR.

This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately.

By Authority of the President:

(SGD.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.
Executive Secretary

06 August 2015