Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla is pushing for a restructuring of Regions 4A and 4B, saying their wide geographic coverage and difficult terrain can slow down the delivery of government services.
Region 4A, or CALABARZON, consists of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon, while Region 4B, or MIMAROPA, covers Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan.
Under Remulla’s proposed setup, Cavite and Palawan would comprise one sub-region, while Batangas and Mindoro would make up another. He also suggested grouping Laguna and Rizal together and placing Quezon, Marinduque and Romblon in a separate sub-region.
Remulla said the proposed realignment is intended to make government services more accessible, efficient and responsive, particularly for communities in geographically isolated areas. He pointed out that MIMAROPA’s current regional center is in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, which can require lengthy travel for residents from other provinces.
The DILG chief said the restructuring could also simplify government operations and reduce the time and expense involved in reaching remote communities.
Remulla said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) plans to formally present the proposal to the Senate before the end of the year.
REMULLA BACKS TRANSFER OF PCG, BI TO DILG
Remulla also voiced support for bringing the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) under the DILG.
He said the proposed transfers could strengthen coordination among government agencies, improve maritime law enforcement and enable authorities to act more quickly against foreign fugitives.
“Our strategy is the rationalization of the Philippine Coast Guard and the maritime,” Remulla said.
Remulla made the statement during a Senate Committee on Finance subcommittee hearing on the DILG’s proposed ₱332.5-billion budget for 2027.
He said placing the PCG under the DILG would allow the government to consolidate maritime law enforcement responsibilities and remove overlapping functions.
“If the Coast Guard is under the DILG because they are in charge of law enforcement in the seas, then we can abrogate the entire maritime command of the PNP and have the Coast Guard be in charge of enforcing the law in the seas,” the DILG chief reiterated.
Remulla further argued that having the PCG and BI under a department responsible for internal security and law enforcement could improve coordination and speed up responses.
The PCG is currently attached to the Department of Transportation, while the BI operates under the Department of Justice.
Remulla said cases involving foreign nationals currently require coordination among the DOJ, BI and Philippine National Police before authorities can proceed with enforcement actions, which he said can take considerable time.