28 remaining regional offices in Zamboanga urged to transfer to Pagadian City

By Franklin P. Gumapon

PAGADIAN CITY – Although most regional offices of the national government agencies (NGAs) have already transferred here, there are still 28 others that continue to hold office in Zamboanga City.

Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)-9 building at the government center in Barangay Balintawak here last week, Mayor Romeo P. Pulmones disclosed that only 32 regional offices have complied with Executive Order No. 429 issued in 1990 by former President Corazon Aquino directing the transfer of the regional offices from Zamboanga City to Pagadian City.

“I am looking forward to seeing the other 28 regional offices transfer here in Pagadian City soon,” Mayor Pulmones said.

The NEDA-9 building is expected to be completed in 18 months with a budget of almost P50 million. It will be built on a 3,000 square-meter lot donated by the city government.

Moreover, the buildings of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-9 and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-9 erected at the said government center are now almost complete.

Present during the NEDA-9 groundbreaking rites were NEDA Deputy Director-General Margarita R. Songco, regional directors of NEDA-9, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Philippine Information Agency as well as other members of the Regional Development Council (RDC)-9, Congressman Victor Yu of Zamboanga del Sur’s first district, 1^st Infantry (Tabak) Division chief MGen. Felicito Virgilio Trinidad Jr., provincial chiefs of the different NGAs, Zamboanga del Sur provincial officials and city officials.

NEDA-9 Regional Director Teresita Socorro C. Ramos, on the other hand, also bared that the Zamboanga Peninsula is envisioned to be the “southern agri-fisheries corridor of the Philippines,” owing to its rich agriculture and marine resources.

Zamboanga Peninsula is composed of the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay and the cities of Dapitan, Dipolog, Isabela, Pagadian and Zamboanga. (PIA9)