New command for NIR seen

BACOLOD CITY—The military will consolidate its forces to form a new regional command for the newly created Negros Island Region (NIR), according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ highest ranking official.

Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., AFP chief of staff, said the new regional command would be headed by an official with a rank of general.

The move is in line with an executive order issued by President Aquino unifying the two Negros provinces—Occidental and Oriental—into a single region.

“The AFP will reconstitute its forces to operate throughout Negros Island under the new command,” said Catapang, who was here on Wednesday to declare the province peaceful and ready for further development.

Under the current setup, Negros Occidental is part of Army and police regional commands in Iloilo being part of Western Visayas.

Negros Oriental is part of both the Army and police regional commands in Cebu since the province belongs to Central Visayas.

But with the creation of the NIR, there is a need to put up an AFP regional command for the new region. Carla P. Gomez, Inquirer Visayas