DOLE–NIR Office Opens in Bajumpandan, Fulfilling Remollo’s Vision
DUMAGUETE CITY – The launch of the Department of Labor and Employment–Negros Island Region (DOLE–NIR) Interim Regional Office and TUPAD Center in Barangay Bajumpandan on August 9 stands as a milestone in Dumaguete’s growth — and as proof of a master plan that began years before the NIR was even a law.
Mayor Felipe “Ipe” Remollo’s vision to decongest the downtown area and bring inclusive development to every barangay follows the LUPAD principle: “Inclusive of every barangay.” His comprehensive plan strategically placed key sectors across the city:
- Bajumpandan as the hub for national government offices and the city’s main government center.
- Talay for healthcare facilities.
- Batinguel for education infrastructure.
- Downtown as a cultural and tourism core, with the Pantawan promenade, restored Old Presidencia in partnership with the National Museum, and enhanced public spaces.
- Connectivity projects such as access roads and bridges to link these areas seamlessly.
The road to Bajumpandan’s development was far from smooth. The 4-hectare property was entangled in a legal battle between the Ouano family and the Perdices administration in the 1990s. After two administrations failed to develop the site into a government center, the Sagarbarria administration surrendered the property back to the Ouano family.
When Remollo took office in July 2016, the Ouanos returned the land to the city without conditions. The Remollo administration finalized the donation, undertook site development, and subdivided the property for usufruct by various government agencies.
The first structures to rise were the DILG Provincial Office and the Super Family Clinic, both breaking ground during Remollo’s term. Today, the site has become a thriving hub for national and local offices — now including the DOLE–NIR Interim Regional Office and TUPAD Center.
Critics who once opposed and maligned the plan now find themselves attending ribbon-cuttings and photo opportunities at the very projects they once dismissed.
Dumaguete now hosts regional offices on city-owned property because one leader saw the city’s future decades ahead of the political curve.
DOLE–NIR Office Opens in Bajumpandan, Fulfilling Remollo’s Vision
Mayor Remollo’s long-term plan turns Bajumpandan into Dumaguete’s government hub, now hosting the DOLE–NIR office and TUPAD Center.
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