The Office of the President has named Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson as the chairperson of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) of the newly-formed Negros Island Region (NIR).

Lacson received his appointment papers from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-NIR OIC-Regional Director Lailyn Ortiz and OIC-Assistant Regional Director Teodora Sumagaysay at the Provincial Capitol building here on Thursday.

In a letter addressed to Lacson, Ortiz congratulated the governor, saying his designation is “a testament to your steadfast leadership, unwavering dedication to public service, and exemplary commitment to peace and order.”

“Your appointment, signed and approved by the President (Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.), affirms the national government’s trust in your capability to lead the RPOC-NIR with excellence and integrity,” she added.

Before the NIR was established, Lacson chaired the RPOC-Western Visayas, and was conferred the Gawad Parangal by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in 2023 for working in the convergence efforts to attain the goals in ending the local armed conflict.

The appointment letter from Malacañang was transmitted by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin to DILG Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla on March 26, with the instruction to notify the appointee within seven days.

Republic 12000 or the NIR Act, signed by Marcos in June last year, creates the administrative region comprising Negros Occidental, including the highly-urbanized Bacolod City, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor. (PNA)