By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD CITY — Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla is set to lead the activation of the Philippine National Police-Negros Island Region (PNP-NIR) today, March 27, 2025.
PNP Region 6 director P/Brig. Gen. Jack Wanky said the activation ceremony will be held at Acacia Hotel in Bacolod City at 3 p.m.
He added that PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil is also expected to attend the event.
On March 25, Wanky led the inauguration and blessing of the newly built La Castellana Municipal Police Station in Negros Occidental.
He was joined by La Castellana Mayor Alme Rhummyla Nicor Mangilimutan, provincial director P/Col. Rainerio De Chavez, and other local officials.
Wanky clarified that no police personnel from Iloilo will be reassigned to PNP-NIR.
Instead, the entire forces of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, Bacolod City Police Office, and Regional Mobile Force Battalion-Western Visayas units in the province will fall under PRO-NIR supervision.
The police offices of Negros Oriental and Siquijor will also be placed under PRO-NIR, he said.
Wanky added that the incoming PRO-NIR regional director and staff will be announced during the activation.
Republic Act 12000, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in June 2024, established the Negros Island Region, composed of Negros Occidental, Bacolod City, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
Earlier, Teodora Sumagaysay, assistant regional director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, said the setup of NIR regional offices is now 70 percent complete.
She added that the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) have been published, marking the start of operations for several regional offices.
“In terms of establishing the regional offices, it’s now at 70 percent, and the majority have already been set up,” Sumagaysay said.
She also noted that DILG-NIR is about 80 percent operational but remains partially dependent on Regions 6 and 7 for some programs and projects.
