DAR regional director for NIR, Region 6 named

BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occ. (PNA) – Regional Director Stephen Leonidas of the Department of Agrarian Reform in Western Visayas (DAR-6) will also head the agency’s Negros Island Region (NIR) office in a concurrent capacity beginning January 2016.

Leonidas, who also currently heads DAR-Negros Occidental, said that based on his appointment from Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes, he will already cover both provinces under NIR next month since Negros Oriental is still under DAR-7 until the end of the year.

The NIR is made up of both Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental.

“There will be fair implementation of programs and projects for both regions,” Leonidas said, adding that what is intended for the development of NIR shall be implemented.

Moreover, he said that 36 personnel are neaded to man the NIR regional office.

For Negros Occidental, the DAR is almost 90 percent finished in the deliberation of all vacant positions, he said, adding that vacant positions for the municipal agrarian reform offices have also been filled.

“Hopefully, before the end of December we can have a complete set of field personnel in Negros Occidental,” he said.

Leonidas added that the proposed 2017 budget and personnel complementation for NIR has already been submitted.

Like other agencies with interim structures for NIR after the transition period started last October, DAR’s budget for Negros Occidental next year will also come from Region 6 while that for Negros Oriental, will be coming from Region 7.