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TO:	All Concerned

Pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 742 restructuring the regional groupings of provinces in the Mindanao, Basilan, Sulu a ad Tawi-Tawi area, Regional Commissioners are hereby designated for Regions IX and XII.

The Regional Commissioner shall be the personal representative of the President in the region.

His main functions, powers and responsibilities are as follows:

1. The Regional Commissioner shall serve as Chairman of the Regional Development Council.  As such, he has primary responsibility in directing the formulation of a development plan for the region.
2. The Regional Commissioner shall monitor the implementation of development programs in the region.  He shall anticipate and where necessary step in to resolve any bottlenecks that may arise in the planning or implementation of development programs in the region.  He is vested with Presidential authority to call upon any agency of government, whether national or local to undertake actions deemed necessary to attain the development objectives of the region.
3. The Regional Commissioner shall monitor the performance of local government officials.    For this purpose he shall coordinate with the Department of Local Governments and Community Development in conducting periodic audits on the performances of local government  officials.
4. The powers given the Secretary of Local Governments and Community Development by Letter of Instructions No. 231 to investigate and decide on administrative cases involving local elective officials are hereby transferred to the Regional Commissioners where such are designated. In the exercise of these powers, the Regional Commissioners shall be assisted by the Department of Local Governments and Community Development.
5. The Regional Commissioner shall have sole authority to disburse funds  allocated to  his region pursuant to Section 7 of Presidential Decree No. 144, as financial aid to local governments or to projects.
6. The Regional Commissioner shall have the sole authority within the region to grant exemptions to local governments as well as agencies of the national governments and government-owned or controlled corporations from  restrictions  on award of contracts, purchase of capital equipment, payment of overtime compensations, filling of vacant positions, effecting the detail of personnel from one government office to another for a period exceeding thirty days, requiring clearance for the hiring of personnel who have readied 57 years of age, retention/extension of the services of retireable government personnel, reinstatement of personnel who have been previously retired from the government service, and such other restrictions as may be defined in Administrative Order No. 42, s-1937, Executive Order No. 298, s-1940, as amended. Executive Order No. 201, s-1949, Memorandum Circular No. 163, s-1968, Executive Order No. 323, s-1971 as amended, Memorandum Circular No. 593, s-1972, as amended, and Presidential Memorandum No. 192, s-1974.
7. Upon consultation with the National Government agencies concerned, the Regional Commissioner shall have sole authority to appoint and remove for due cause Provincial Health Officers, Provincial Agriculturists and Superintendents of Schools of the provinces within his region of responsibility.
8. The Regional Commissioner shall report regularly in the Office of the President on the status of development program in the region and the performance of local government officials, and shall make recommendations on any actions that should be taken by the National   Government to accelerate development efforts in the region.
9. The Regional Commissioner shall set up a technical staff assist him in the performance of his duties.  He is likewise empowered to call upon any agency of government, whether national or local, to extend assistance to his Office in the common effort of striving to meet development objectives of the region.
10. The Regional Commissioner shall also be vested with such other powers and shall perform such other functions as may be defined by the President of the Philippines.

For immediate compliance.

Done in the City of Manila, this 7th day of July, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-five.