Palace suspends transfer of Zamboanga peninsula government offices

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines —Malacañang has suspended the transfer of Zamboanga peninsula’s regional government offices from this city to Pagadian.

By authority of President Marcos, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin issued on Wednesday Memorandum Circular 18 suspending the transfer.

The transfer of regional government offices, except for the Departments of Trade and Industry, Labor and Employment and Tourism, from this city to Pagadian was provided under a memorandum issued by former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2004.

The late president Benigno Aquino III issued a circular stopping the transfer.

A circular issued by former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2020 pushed for the transfer.

Zamboanga Mayor John Dalipe said Marcos’ circular provides an opportunity to study and reassess the implications of the transfer.

Dalipe said the moratorium is a respite for concerned government employees.

“The tug-of-war in the transfer of regional offices caused displacement of families of officials, employees and workers and even delayed development in the region,” he said.