Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. poze

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE DIVINA GRACE C. YU

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Pagadian City has been designated as the Regional Center of Region IX by virtue
of Executive Order (E.0.) No. 429 issued by former President Corazon C. Aquino.
Consequently, during the time of the then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, this E.0.
was further bolstered when Memorandum Circular No. 75 series of 2004, signed by
former Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, ordering the transfer of Regional Offices of
all departments and agencies of the government from Zamboanga City to Pagadian City.

Currently, out of fifty seven (57) Regional Offices, there are already twenty eight
(28) Regional Offices that are efficiently functioning in Pagadian City. Nine (9) offices
have partially transferred; while seven (7) have established satellite offices.

Executive orders according to Book III, Title I, Chapter II, Section 2 of
Administrative Code of 1987, refer to the "Acts of the President providing for rules of a
general or permanent character in implementation or execution of constitutional or
statutory powers”.

Nonetheless, this bill seeks to reiterate and strengthen the permanence of the
designation of Pagadian City in the Province of Zamboanga del Sur as the Regional
Center of the Zamboanga Peninsula Region.

The Local Government of Pagadian City with the support of the Provincial
Government of Zamboanga del Sur is ready and committed as the Zamboanga Penisula’s
Regional Center. In fact, a 23-hectare land in Barangay Balintawak, Pagadian City was
donated by the City Government to house and converge all regional offices. Hence, it is
high time that the moratorium on the transfer of regional offices of all departments and
agencies from Zamboanga City to Pagadian City be lifted.

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



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
‘Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

5694
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE DIVINA GRACE C. YU

AN ACT DECLARING THE CITY OF PAGADIAN IN THE PROVINCE OF
ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR AS THE REGIONAL CENTER OF REGION IX -
ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA REGION

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

Section 1.Regional Center of Region IX.The City of Pagadian in the Province of
Zamboanga del Sur has been designated as the Regional Center of the Zamboanga Peninsula
Region pursuant to Executive Order No. 429, Series of 1990, as amended.

Section 2.Development Plan.The Regional Development Council of Region IX shall, in
coordination with the Local Government Units, National Government Agencies and
Instrumentalities and private sector in Region IX, formulate an over-all development
program and strategic plan to redefine the City of Pagadian as the designated Regional
Center.

Section 3. Relocation of Regional Offices.All the Regional Offices within the Region IX
shall be relocated to the City of Pagadian City within one year from the effectivity of this Act.
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 4. Satellite Offices.Upon the complete relocation of the regional offices to the
Province of Zamboanga del Sur, all existing Regional Offices shall automatically be converted
into satellite offices for such department within the province where it is located.

Section 5. Funding Source.The amount necessary for the development, maintenance and
administration of the regional center shall be drawn from the internally generated funds of
the local government units in Region IX and the National Government. Thereafter, such sum
necessary for the continued operation of the Regional Center shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations 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 a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,