Remulla bats for integrated Region 4 to boost delivery of services

CALAPAN CITY— Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla is proposing the abolition of the Mimaropa region and its reintegration with Calabarzon to streamline government operations and improve service delivery.

Remulla made the proposal during a Senate Finance Subcommittee J hearing on Thursday (Sept.10) in response to a question from Sen. Erwin Tulfo about providing sea transport for the Mimaropa regional police director.

According to Remulla, the current regional setup makes it difficult for regional directors and agency heads to effectively serve the area, particularly because many regional offices are not based in Calapan City, the designated regional center. 

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“As of now, sir, it’s almost impossible to be regional director of any agency in Region 4B,” Remulla said, noting that most agencies do not have their regional offices in Calapan. 

He cited the DILG Region 4B office, which is based in Quezon City, as an example.

Mimaropa, or Region 4B, is made up of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan. 

It was separated from the former Region IV in 2002 under Executive Order No. 103 issued by then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The reorganization also created Calabarzon, or Region 4A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon).

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Command centers

Remulla proposed returning the provinces to a single Region 4 but organizing them into separate command centers based on geography and accessibility. 

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Under his proposal, Cavite would be grouped with Palawan; Batangas with Mindoro; Laguna with Rizal; Quezon with Marinduque; while Romblon would remain a separate unit. 

Remulla said the restructuring would rationalize government functions and make services more responsive by taking into account geography, travel time and accessibility. 

“That is what we want to do — return it to Region 4, into one region, but divide it into different command centers,” he said. 

Tulfo had raised the difficulty faced by the Mimaropa regional police director in visiting the island provinces, noting that travel from Mindoro to Palawan often requires passing through Manila. 

He asked whether the Philippine National Police could acquire vessels to allow direct travel between the provinces. 

PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the acquisition of vehicles and watercraft, including maintenance costs, was already being considered under the police procurement program. 

But Remulla said additional transport would not fully address the problem, arguing that a fundamental restructuring of the region was needed.

He said the DILG would submit the proposed reorganization of Region 4 to the Senate within the year.

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“We will propose it to the Senate this coming year, sir. And hopefully it will be supported,” Remulla said. /gsg