BACOLOD City – Representatives from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) central office visited Carlos Hilado Memorial State University (CHMSU) – Alijis campus in this city for an ocular inspection on Thursday, February 13, in preparation for the establishment of the DBM-Negros Island Regional (NIR) office.
CHMSU President Norberto Mangulabnan and university administrators met with DBM Assistant Director Philip Jeffrey David and officers from the Local Government and Regional Coordination Bureau, General Services Division, and Information and Communication Technology Systems Service.
Also present was DBM Region 6 director Liane Gayomali.
During a roundtable discussion, Mangulabnan shared that he sought the approval of the CHMSU Board of Regents to allot a budget for the provision of the DBM regional office in the Alijis campus.
“The DBM Regional Office VI has been very supportive of our institution,” said Mangulabnan.
The discussions also included detailed plans for room specifications, personnel allocation, and utility provisions.
As the NIR slowly transitions into a functional region, providing interim office spaces for line agencies is an important collaborative engagement for CHMSU, said the university president.
Earlier on February 6, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) held a ceremonial usufruct agreement signing and blessing of its temporary NIR office at the same campus.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, outgoing chairman of the Regional Development Council in Western Visayas, said the NIR is expected to fully operate on February 19, or 15 days following the publication of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Republic Act (RA) 12000 or the Negros Island Region Act.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed into law the NIR Act on June 13, 2024, creating a new administrative region comprising the provinces of Negros Occidental, including the highly-urbanized Bacolod City, Negros Oriental and Siquijor./PN
