WHEREAS, measures are being taken to improve the
administrative structure of the country by creating regions within which
government operations can be coordinated and made more effective;
WHEREAS, this system of creating administrative regions is
expected to bring Government closer to the people and encourage the
participation of the people in the development of their areas;
WHEREAS, a review of present conditions in these regions
suggests that refinements have to be made in the groupings and their
structure;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution do
hereby amend Presidential Decree No. 742 as follows:
- Region IX shall be composed of the provinces of Basilan, Sulu,
Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur, and the cities
of Dapitan, Dipolog, Pagadian and Zamboanga, with Jolo as Regional
Center.
- Within Region IX shall be established two sub-regions,
Sub- Region IX-A and Sub-Region IX-B, composed respectively of
the provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi for Sub-Region IX-A
and the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur and the
cities of Dapitan, Dipolog, Pagadian, and Zamboanga for Sub-Region
IX-B, with Zamboanga. City as Center for Sub-Region IX-B.
- Assistant Regional Commissioners shall be appointed for
each of these sub-regions to assist the Regional Commissioner of
Region IX in the performance of his functions.
- Likewise, all agencies of government with responsibilities
extending throughout Region IX shall appoint Assistant Regional
Directors for each of the sub-regions to assist in the performance of
functions assigned to these agencies.
This Decree shall take effect immediately.
Done in the City of Manila, this 21st day of August, in the
year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-five.