Bill reviving Negros Island Region hurdles committee

The substitute bill seeking the reestablishment of the Negros Island Region (NIR) has hurdled the House Committee on Local Government.

Under the proposed bill, the NIR will include the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor island.

The substitute bill was submitted by Negros Occidental 1st district Congressman Gerardo Valmayor Jr., 2nd district Congressman Alfredo “Thirdy” Marañon III, 3rd district Congressman Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez, 4th district Congressman Juliet Ferrer, 5th district Congressman Emilio “Dino” Yulo, 6th district Congressman Mercedes “Cheding” Alvarez-Lansang, and Bacolod City-lone district Congressman Greg Gasataya.

Aside from the House of Representatives, its counterpart bill in the Senate, Senate Bill 1236 authored by Senator JV Ejercito, has already hurdled the Senate Committee on Local Government in December of last year.

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, meanwhile, is now scheduled to meet with Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo next week to hold further discussions related to reestablishing the NIR.

It can be recalled that Degamo voiced a dissenting opinion about the NIR during the 4th Regional Development Council-Central Visayas in Cebu City also in December of last year.

Degamo cited “cultural differences” behind the opposition, a comment regarded by business groups in Negros as “shallow.”

The NIR was first established through an executive order issued by then President Benigno Aquino III in 2015. But it was dissolved by his successor, then President Rodrigo Duterte, in 2017 due to the high cost of maintaining the region.* (DGB)