Republic Act No. 2646

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress Assembled:

Section 1

The provisions of Reorganization Plan No. 53-A on Field Operations to the contrary notwithstanding, the Department of Labor is hereby authorized to regionalize its field activities in accordance with the following pattern which provides for twelve regions:

(a) Region No. 1 comprises the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Mountain Province, La Union, Pangasinan and Zambales and the cities of Baguio and Dagupan, with regional headquarters at Dagupan City.

(b) Region No. 2 comprises the provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya, with regional headquarters at Tuguegarao, Cagayan.

(c) Region No. 3 comprises the provinces of Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bataan and Pampanga and the City of Cabanatuan, with regional headquarters at San Fernando, Pampanga.

(d) Region No. 4 comprises the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Occidental Mindoro and Palawan and the cities of Pasay, Quezon, Tagaytay, Cavite, Trece Martires and Manila, with regional headquarters at Manila.

(e) Region No. 5 comprises the provinces of Quezon, Laguna, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro and Marinduque and the cities of San Pablo and Lipa, with regional headquarters at San Pablo City.

(f) Region No. 6 comprises the provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, and Catanduanes and the City of Naga, with regional headquarters at Naga City.

(g) Region No. 7 comprises the provinces of Romblon Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo and Negros Occidental and the cities of Roxas, Iloilo, Silay and Bacolod, with regional headquarters at Iloilo City and with sub-regional office at Bacolod City.

(h) Region No. 8 comprises the provinces of Negros Oriental, Cebu and Bohol and the cities of Dumaguete and Cebu, with regional headquarters at Cebu City.

(i) Region No. 9 comprises the provinces of Samar and Leyte and the cities of Calbayog, Tacloban and Ormoc, with regional headquarters at Tacloban City.

(j) Region No. 10 comprises the provinces of Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Sulu and the cities of Ozamiz, Zamboanga and Basilan, with regional headquarters at Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte.

(k) Region No. 11 comprises the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Lanao, Agusan and Surigao and the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Marawi and Butuan, with regional headquarters at Cagayan de Oro City.

(l) Region No. 12 comprises the provinces of Davao, Bukidnon and Cotabato and the City of Davao, with regional headquarters at Davao City.

Section 2

The organizational structure of each regional office to be established in conformity with the regionalization provided in Section one hereof, for the purpose of bringing the present number of twelve regional offices, shall follow the pattern provided in the executive order implementing Reorganization Plan No. 20-A on Labor.

The Secretary of Labor is hereby authorized to reallocate personnel as he deems necessary: Provided, However, That there shall be at least one hearing officer and one clerk in every province.

Section 3

For the purpose of this Act, there is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of one hundred fifty thousand pesos, or so much thereof as may be necessary, in addition to the sum already appropriated for Field Services of the Department of Labor, for salaries and wages of personnel, traveling and other operating expenses and for the purchase of office equipment: Provided, That pending the release of funds therein appropriated, the Secretary of Labor may, as the exigencies of the service so require, establish the additional regional offices herein contemplated, necessary personnel to be provided by designation and reassignment of present personnel of the Department of Labor.

Section 4

All Acts, executive orders, and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are amended and/or repealed.

Section 5

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 18, 1960.