Governor raises questions on creation of sub-regions

While not totally opposing it, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson raised questions on the proposal to create two sub-regions for Negros pending the passage of bills establishing the Negros Island Region (NIR).

The Department of Budget and Management and the National Economic Development Authority are the two agencies pushing for the proposal.

However, Lacson asked: “Negros has its own Regional Development Council… What would be the rank of the government personnel who will be manning these offices? If we are a sub-region how does it function?”

He said however that the proposal is a “good development… having these departments in Negros we don’t have to depend anymore to the regional offices in Iloilo.”

“My understanding is that this is temporary. But what we want is really the NIR. Just like what we had. We were functioning as a region here in Negros island.”

The idea of putting up two sub- regions was raised last week by Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez.

Benitez described the proposal as “the fastest way to move forward is the creation of Region 6A for Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, and Region 7A for Negros Oriental and Siquijor.”

Benitez said the proposal “forces all national offices to put up their respective satellite offices in two sub regions.”

“What we are discussing now,” Benitez said, “is the degree of autonomy of the sub-region.”

The mayor, who chairs the Regional Development Council in Western Visayas, said “that is a win-win solution.”

“For Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, there is no need to cross to Iloilo, in order to transact business with the regional offices, if they already have satellite offices, here”, he pointed out.

All Negros Island solons, as well as that of Siquijor, either authored or co-sponsored similar bills creating NIR, which was abolished during the administration of then President Rodrigo Duterte.

Benitez said he already talked with Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (6th district, Negros Occ) regarding the DBM and NEDA proposals.

While he has yet to get the sentiments of Negros solons, who are pushing for NIR, Benitez said “I think this would be a good compromise to move forward.”

If it can be done, I think we have solved the majority of our issues, the mayor said, adding that he was told by Alvarez that they will review the DBM and NEDA proposals.

If the congressmen will agree to it, I think it is just a matter of getting DBM to agree, he said.

After getting the approval of DBM and the Department of Interior and Local Government, then maybe the President will issue an executive order for it, Benitez said.

In August, the House Committee on Local Government has formed a technical working group (TWG) that will consolidate the bills seeking the creation of the NIR.

“The TWG was created to consolidate similar bills and address,” Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Jose Franciso Benitez, who mainly authored House Bill (HB) 1446, in a statement.

Negros Occidental 6th District Rep. Mercedes Alvarez and Cebu City South District Rep. Eduardo Rama Jr. were tasked to head the TWG that will tackle issues on the inclusion of Siquijor, which is included in HB 1446 only, and the mode of determining the location of the regional offices.

Aside from Benitez, whose bill is titled “An Act Creating Region 6-B and For Other Purposes”, two other lawmakers from Negros Occidental, Second District Rep. Alfredo Marañon III and Fourth District Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer, also filed bills for the creation of the NIR.

Marañon authored HB 330 or “An Act Establishing the Negros Island Region” while Ferrer proposed HB 119 or “An Act Establishing the Negros Island Region and For Other Purposes”.

The two Negros provinces and Bacolod will be asked to submit their position papers, Ferrer said.

At present, Negros Occidental and Bacolod City are under Western Visayas or Region 6 while Negros Oriental and Siquijor are part of Central Visayas or Region 7.

On May 29, 2015, the NIR was first created through Executive Order 183 signed by then-president Benigno Aquino III, separating Negros Occidental from Western Visayas and Negros Oriental from Central Visayas.

However, on Aug. 7, 2017, former president Rodrigo Duterte issued EO 38 abolishing the NIR, stressing the need to ensure that priority government programs and projects are sufficiently funded.* (EYA)