Guidelines to Implement Executive Order No. 183 Creating a Negros Island Region (NIR)

December 1, 2015

DBM CIRCULAR LETTER NO. 13-15

 

1.0 Purpose

This Circular is being issued to prescribe the guidelines on the organization, staffing and funding of requirements to implement Executive Order (EO) No. 183 entitled, "Creating a Negros Island Region and for Other Purposes," dated May 29, 2015.

2.0 Coverage

This Circular covers all regionalized Government entities that are currently situated in Regions VI and VII. The new administrative region shall be composed of the following Provinces, including cities, municipalities and barangays under their jurisdiction:

a. Negros Oriental; and

b. Negros Occidental.

3.0 Guidelines on Staffing

3.1 All departments/agencies concerned shall locate their respective NIR offices in Dumaguete City or Bacolod City as previously agreed upon by the two provinces, distributed as follows:

Dumaguete	Bacolod
DepEd, TESDA, DSWD,	DAR, DENR, DA, HLURB
DOH, CHED
CSC, PSA, PRC	DOJ, DILG (Interior Agencies),
	DND, OCD
DOLE, DTI, DOST, DFA,	DILG (LG Sector), DBM,
DOT, SEC	NEDA, DOF
DPWH, DOTC	COA, COMELEC

Note: The location of Regional offices under the Office of the President shall be specified upon the recommendation of NIR-TWG

3.2 For the initial operation of the NIR Office, all departments/agencies concerned shall submit requests to the oversight agencies, to wit: CAIHTE

3.2.1 Department of Budget and Management (DBM) — for the issuance of organization code for the NIR office and lower operating units; and

3.2.2 Department of Finance — Bureau of the Treasury — for opening of MDS Sub-Accounts in Government Servicing Banks pursuant to Treasury Circular No. 02-2014.

3.3 In the establishment of NIR Office, departments/agencies concerned shall undertake the following:

3.3.1 Designate an incumbent Director IV, Director III or Division Chief as the Interim Head of their respective NIR Office not later than December 15, 2015 to oversee the conduct of the transition activities for the purpose, consistent with Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 811 dated August 06, 2015 issued by the Office of the Executive Secretary.

3.3.2 Set-up the core staff for the NIR Office who will support the Interim Head in the performance of the intended tasks, assess the department/agency's existing overall manpower complement and initially explore the following:

3.3.2.1  Transfer certain existing personnel of Regional Offices (ROs) VI and VII; and/or

3.3.2.2  Detail certain personnel from the department/agency's Central Offices and/or other ROs to the NIR Office.

 The designated/detailed/transferred personnel, if applicable, may be considered on travel status and be entitled to travel expenses in the performance of their duties for a period not exceeding 30 calendar days, subject to the provisions of EO 248, s. 1995, as amended by EO 248-A, s. 1995 and EO 298, s. 2004, and other existing budgeting, accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

 Moreover, as provided under Section 74, Chapter 7, Book VI of the Administrative Code of 1987, whenever due to the exigencies of the service, and not at his/her own request, an official or employee is transferred from one station to another, said official or employee and his/her spouse and children below twenty-one years of age shall be entitled to transportation and freight for reasonable and necessary baggage and household effects, which shall be paid from the appropriation for travelling expenses of agency concerned.

3.3.3 Designate a Special Disbursing Officer (SDO) for the respective NIR Office who will be responsible for the management of fund transfers/cash advances.

3.4 In case the departments/agencies concerned will later on determine that the aforementioned designated/detailed/transferred personnel is not adequate to undertake the intended functions/tasks for the purpose, they may submit a request to the DBM for the creation of the "barest minimum" number of positions, to augment the core staff of the NIR Office not later than December 15, 2015.

4.0 Guidelines on Funding

4.1 On Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) and Capital Outlay (CO) requirements:

4.1.1 For FYs 2015 and 2016, the MOOE and CO requirements of the NIR Office shall be sourced from the budget of the departments/agencies concerned specifically intended for the Provincial Offices of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental in ROs VI and VII, respectively.

4.1.1.1  If found inadequate, the budget of the NIR Office may be augmented by the Agency Central Office savings in MOOE within the department/agency, subject to the provisions of Sections 70, 71 and 72 of the General Provisions of Republic Act No. 10651 [FY 2015 General Appropriations Act (GAA)] and other DBM issuances on augmentation and/or realignment of savings.

4.1.1.2  The NIR Office for the department concerned shall be established in Bacolod or Dumaguete Cities, as specified in Item 3.1 of this Circular.

4.1.1.3  In the interim, ROs VI and VII may provide a separate area/office for the NIR Office within their existing facilities and/or resources, or through rental of office space, until a Regional Government Center is established/operational.

4.1.1.4  The departments/agencies concerned shall ensure that supplies, materials, information technology-related and other office equipment (e.g., computers, copiers, fax machine) that are necessary for the operations of the NIR Office shall be provided from their current inventory or through rental, subject to existing budgeting, accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

4.1.1.5  The procurement of equipment intended for the NIR Office, as necessary, shall continue to be made by the appropriate implementing unit under the interim set up.

4.1.1.6  In case there are "For Later Release" items under the FY 2015 budget, the DBM shall continue to release the allotment/obligational authority in accordance with the program, activity, project (P/A/P) or purpose as appearing in the GAA. Likewise, for FY 2016, the allotment/obligational authority shall be released in accordance with the P/A/P or purpose and to the office as appearing in the GAA. DETACa

4.1.1.7  Requests for additional funds, realignment of FYs 2015 and 2016 funds, or use of savings to augment any deficiency in allotment for the NIR Office shall be submitted to the DBM Office concerned for evaluation/recommendation to the approving authority.

4.1.2 For FY 2017, the Personnel Services, MOOE and CO requirements necessary for the full operation of the NIR Office shall be included in the FY 2017 budget proposal of the departments/agencies concerned.

4.2 Book of Accounts

4.2.1 The existing books of accounts for ROs VI and VII shall continue to be maintained until such time that separate budgeting and accounting unit in the NIR Office are created.

4.2.2 A subsidiary record for the operating requirement of the NIR Office shall be maintained by ROs VI and VII. All fund transfers shall be treated as cash advance, subject to liquidation by the designated SDOs of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental. With this interim set-up, partial deferment on the use of Advice to Debit Account (ADA) as payment mode for Accounts Payable (A/Ps) may be effected.

4.2.3 An inventory of properties, supplies and materials, records and other assets and liabilities shall be maintained for accountability purposes.

5.0 Resolution of Cases

Cases not covered by the provisions of this Circular shall be referred to the Secretary of Budget and Management for resolution.

6.0 Effectivity

This Circular shall take effect immediately.

(SGD.) FLORENCIO B. ABADSecretary

Footnotes

1. Directing All Heads of National Government Agencies, Including Government-Owned and/or Controlled Corporations, to Extend their Full Assistance in the Transition to the Negros Island Region.