The bill seeking to create the Negros Island Region (NIR) has been approved by the Senate Committee on Local Government.
The bill seeks to merge Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental into one region again.
“Malinaw po ang pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan sa Negros Occidental at Negros Oriental na gawing isang rehiyon ang Negros Island upang mas mapabilis at mailapit ang mga serbisyo ng national government sa kanila (The need of our compatriots in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental to turn Negros Island into a region is clear, so that the services of the national government can be accelerated and brought closer to them),” Ejercito said, author of Senate Bill No. 1236.
“Naniniwala rin po tayo na ito rin ay magiging daan upang mas maging masigla ang nasabing rehiyon (We also believe that this will also be the way to make the said region more vibrant),” Ejercito added.
Other senators who filed similar bill are Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, and Manuel “Lito” Lapid.
Zubiri, whose father hails from Kabankalan, Negros Occidental, said there is growing clamor for the establishment of the NIR since residents of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental still have to travel to either Iloilo or Cebu to transact with the regional offices of several national government agencies.
“It’s the ease of doing business for government transactions. Kung cost lang, nagawa na. May buildings na po (If it’s just about cost, it’ll be done. We already have buildings),” Zubiri said.
“I don’t think it’s going to cost us more to revive the NIR, because it has been done for several years,” the Senate President said.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said he will schedule the bills for second reading “as soon as the committee report reaches his office.”
The NIR was established in 2015 through Executive Order No. 183 but was later abolished in 2017 through Executive Order No. 38.