By Jennifer P. Rendon
Around 20 to 25 percent of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6’s workforce will be reassigned once the Negros Island Region (NIR), or Region 18, is fully established.
PRO-6 will transfer a significant number of its more than 13,000 police officers to the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOcPPO) and the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) under the Police Regional Office – NIR.
Wanky said he saw no problem with the arrangement since the provincial and city police offices are already in place.
“We will be somewhat unburdened as far as administration is concerned dahil sa magkakaroon ng isa pang regional command,” he said.
Wanky added there would be minimal negative impact from the split “because previously my experience was created through an executive order.”
“Baka mas maganda ang turnover ngayon because of the past experience. Having that as a template, maybe we could improve more,” he said.
The NIR was first established on May 29, 2015, and was dissolved on Aug. 9, 2017.
At that time, it comprised the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, and the highly urbanized city of Bacolod.
The region was re-established on June 13, 2024, after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act No. 12000.
The law moved Negros Occidental and the highly urbanized city of Bacolod from Region 6 or Western Visayas, and also removed Negros Oriental and Siquijor from Region 7 or Central Visayas.
