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W. Mindanao officials air transfer woes |
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Source Sheila E. Covarrubias, Sunstar
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Thursday, 23 August 2007 |
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THE Regional Executives Association of Western Mindanao (Reawesmin) Inc. on Wednesday renewed calls for the retention of the regional center in Zamboanga City, citing "impracticability and complications" of the transfer order.
Reawesmin, led by Science and Technology Regional Director Brenda Nazareth, reiterated its position against Executive Order 429, the law that transfers the regional center from Zamboanga City to Pagadian City, in a meeting with Secretary Silvestre Bello as arranged by Mayor Celso Lobregat at City Hall Wednesday morning.
Citing a study conducted by the Regional Development Council (RDC), National Economic Development Authority (Neda) Director Rafael Evangelista said the transfer order issued by then President Corazon Aquino is not viable on three reasons: Partial centrality of Pagadian City in Region 9, budgetary constraints, and the non-inclusion of EO in the 2007 expenditure program.
"We hope that the directive on the transfer will either be reviewed, revisited, or calibrated," Mayor Lobregat said during the meeting.
He said he initiated the meeting to allow Secretary Bello, who is presidential assistant for regional concerns, to get first hand information from the regional directors and employees concerning the transfer order.
Reawesmin members took turns expressing concerns over the transfer law while other members aired difficulties encountered as a result of the transfer to Pagadian.
Department of Education Regional Director Jesus Nieves, whose office is one of the few agencies that moved to Pagadian as a result of EO 429, said agreements entered into by the agency and the local government of Pagadian City, such as sufficient housing facilities, building for their office, and transportation facilities have not been complied with up to today.
He said Department of Education employees encounter a lot of difficulties as a result of the transfer, thereby affecting the service to the clientele.
A representative from the Bureau of Internal Revenue said the transfer would affect the agency's efficiency in collection as 70 percent of the revenues come from Zamboanga City.
The National Housing Authority representative also stressed that 50 percent of the agency's volume of work is concentrated in Zamboanga City as most of the housing projects are located in this city.
Tourism Regional Director Ric San Juan said the transfer order would be contrary to the department's thrust to pursue the Bimp-Eaga concept.
Zamboanga City, being the gateway to Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, plays a vital role in this particular program and that transferring to Pagadian would cause the department to abandon this thrust.
On the part of the DOST, Nazareth said 85-90 percent of the customers of the department's testing laboratory center are based in Zamboanga. The laboratory facility is one of the only four facilities nationwide with an ISO accreditation.
The National Food Authority on the other hand considers Zamboanga City's strategic location as the main factor in calling for the retention of the regional center here. Zamboanga has the biggest port in this part of the country where foreign vessels can come in and that the city is the depot for the autonomous provinces.
Mayor Lobregat during the meeting expressed hopes that Bello would understand and consider the complications of the transfer order.
The transfer, he said, would cause numerous effects not only on service to the clientele but even to dislocated employees and on government expenditures.
EO 429 was triggered by the creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).
Bello, in response, said all views and comments of the regional directors would be collated and serve as basis for his recommendations to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
"We are prepared to listen to anything you say, we will make recommendations and it will be the President who will make the final decision," Bello stressed.
From the meeting at City Hall in the morning, Bello also met with the employees of the different regional agencies based in the city at the Western Mindanao State University Wednesday afternoon.
The employees also expressed opposition to the transfer of the regional center to Pagadian.
The meeting at City Hall was also attended by Representative Erbie Fabian and members of the City Council.
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