State policy and administrative decentralization
- The State policy is to promote efficiency in the government to pursue programs consistent with national goals for accelerated social and economic development (Section 2).
- The State must promote administrative decentralization to strengthen local autonomy and accelerate the economic, cultural, and social development of the region (Section 2).
Creation and territorial coverage
- The Negros Island Region (NIR) is composed of the provinces and their cities, municipalities, and barangays comprising those provinces (Section 3).
- Negros Occidental is included including Bacolod City (Section 3(a)).
- Negros Oriental is included (Section 3(b)).
- Siquijor is included (Section 3(c)).
Regional government offices and clusters
- Regional offices must be established and designated to ensure effective delivery of public services to the NIR (Section 4).
- For Negros Occidental, the Act establishes the following cluster groupings and agencies (Section 4(I)):
- Agriculture and Land-Related Cluster: Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agrarian Reform, and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (Section 4(I)(a)).
- Peace and Order and Security Cluster: Department of Justice, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police, and Department of National Defense (Section 4(I)(b)).
- Governance Cluster: Department of Budget and Management, Department of Finance, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Foreign Affairs, Commission on Audit, and Commission on Elections (Section 4(I)(c)).
- For Negros Oriental, the Act establishes the following cluster groupings and agencies (Section 4(II)):
- Human Development Cluster: Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Commission on Higher Education, Civil Service Commission, Philippine Statistics Authority, and Department of Labor and Employment (Section 4(II)(a)).
- Infrastructure Cluster: Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation, Department of Information and Communications Technology, and Department of Energy (Section 4(II)(b)).
- Industry and Labor Cluster: Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Tourism, Department of Science and Technology, and Department of Finance - Securities and Exchange Commission (Section 4(II)(c)).
Technical Working Group (TWG)
- A Technical Working Group (TWG) must be constituted upon the approval of this Act (Section 5).
- The TWG is composed of NEDA, DILG, DBM, a representative of the Office of the Governor of the provinces, and representatives from all elected Members of the House of Representatives of the provinces (Section 5).
- The TWG must formulate the plan or roadmap to put in place all institutional arrangements for the Negros Island Region (Section 5).
- The TWG must arrange organizational development requirements and other necessary concerns for development planning, investment programming, and public service provision (Section 5).
- The DILG must serve as the secretariat of the TWG (Section 5).
Appropriations for implementing the Act
- The amount necessary to carry out the Act is charged against the current year's appropriations of the concerned agencies (Section 6).
- After the initial charge, amounts needed for implementation must be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (Section 6).
IRR issuance timeline
- The DILG, NEDA, and DBM must promulgate the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) (Section 7).
- The IRR must be issued within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of the Act (Section 7).
- The IRR must be promulgated in consultation with the provincial governments of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor (Section 7).
Separability and repeal rules
- If any provision of the Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, the other parts not affected continue in full force and effect (Section 8).
- All laws, issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with the Act are repealed, amended, or modified accordingly (Section 9).