I guess tedious is relative. You only have to create them once. The top and bottom edges are the same size, as are the side edges, so at most, you only have to create 6 of your 12 and then copy them. In your code, you position them at the locations of the edges of the transparent labels.
I use such frames in an app that has well over 100 Views in it. That's what I consider tedious; a few more to make a frame is no big deal.
Just speaking for myself -- I've looked at NinePatchDrawable before and I find the method I'm using to be much simpler, but to each his own.
Otherwise, if you are asking if there is a simple command to have a transparent label and turn on a non-transparent frame around it, I'm pretty sure the answer is no.