Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

House Billi No._44'70

Introduced by Honorable Gil P. Acosta, Honorable Frederick F, Abueg, and
Honorable Franz Josef George E. Alvarez

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to locate the MIMAROPA Regional Center in the City of Puerto
Princesa. Republic Act 10867 officially institutionalized MIMAROPA as a separate
and distinct region of the country

The City of Puerto Princesa and the Province of Palawan are two local
government units that forms part of the five provinces — two cities regional
aggroupation.

Palawan has become a veritable cynosure of all eyes, not only in the
Philippines, but also in the international scene as the result of series of positive media
publications especially in the tourism and travel industry

Concomitant with this enviable circumstances is the burgeoning establishment
and development of commercial and industrial activities in Palawan that add corollary
pressures and requirements not only in the areas of provincial and city governance but
within the sphere of the MIMAROPA Regional governmental transactions.

Among the five provinces comprising the MIMAROPA Region, Palawan had
the biggest population in 2015 with 1,104,000 inhabitants; 255,000 of which are
Puerto Princesa residents.


A report of the Philippine Statistics Authority reveals that Puerto Princesa City
posted as high as 2.62% in terms of population growth rate. Palawan Province on the
other hand was the fastest growing province in the region with an average annual
population growth rate (PGR) of 1.84 percent during the period 2010 to 2015. It was
followed by Occidental Mindoro (1.40 percent), Oriental Mindoro (1,38 percent), and
Romblon (0.59 percent). Marinduque posted the lowest provincial PGR of 0.55
percent

In areas of tourism and trade, Palawan tops the regional and national
destinations, prompting the DOTr to expand the Puerto Princesa City Airport to
international status as a gateway to 1,700 islands of the provinee, In MIMAROPA
Region, only Palawan has a membership in the International aggroupation of trading
partners in the ASEAN Region. ‘The BIMP-EAGA bolsters Palawan’s unique position
in the Philippines and in MIMAROPA as a venue for Government institutional
establishment and advancement of support mechanisms for regional and national
development

Given the strategie importance, logistical resources and geographical location
of the Province of Palawan and the City of Puerto Princesa, it is thus appropriate to
locate the MIMAROPA Regional Government Center in Puerto Princesa City,
Palawan for the advantageous convenience and comfort of the Region IV-B
constituencies.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought

Representative
3" District of Palawan

FREDARICK ¥. ABUEG FRANZ JOSEF GEORGE E. ALVAREZ
Repesentstive Representative
2" Disttict of Palawan Ist District of Palawan


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular

House Bill No.

Introduced by Honorable Gil P. Acosta, Honorable Frederick F, Abueg, and
Honorable Franz Josef George E. Alvarez

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE MIMAROPA REGIONAL
GOVERNMENT CENTER IN PUERTO PRINCESA CITY PROVINCE
OF PALAWAN

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. MIMAROPA REGIONAL GOVERNMENT CENTER,
~ The City of Puerto Princesa in the Province of Palawan is hereby designated
as the Regional Government Center of MIMAROPA whi
RA 10879, and composed of the provinces of Mindoro Oriental and Occidental,
Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan and the Cities of Calapan and Puerto Princesa.

h was created under

SECTION 2. PRINCIPAL OFFICE, — There is hereby apportioned
three hundred (300) hectares of lot for MIMAROPA Regional Center to be
carved out of the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm as per Executive Order no, 67
Series of 1912. The DENR in coordination with the DOJ shall cause such
delineation.


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SECTION 3. DEVELOPMENT PLAN. — The Regional Development
Council of MIMAROPA, in coordination with the City of Puerto Princesa,
national government agencies and instrumentalities and the private sector, shall
formulate an over-all developmental program and strategic plan in order to
redefine the City of Puerto Princesa as the designated site for the regional
center.

SECTION 4. RELOCATION OF REGIONAL OFFICES, ~ All the
regional offices in MIMAROPA shall be relocated to the City of Puerto
Princesa, starting with the establishment of the satellite offices in the area
within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act, and their full transfer
within eighteen (18) months thereafter. The heads of departments, agencies,
bureaus, government owned-and-controlled corporations and government
financial institutions shall support the regional officers in adopting and
implementing their respective relocation plans, including measures that will
address the concerns of the employees affected by the transfer.

SECTION 5. FUNDING SOURCE. - The amount of fifty (50) million
pesos necessary for the site development, maintenance and administration of the
regional center shall be made available in the next budget year immediately
upon approval of this Act.

SECTION 6. REPEALING CLAUSE. — All laws, decrees, orders,
rules, and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby
repealed or amended accordingly.

SECTION 7. EFFECTIVITY. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national
newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,