The Diocese of Dumaguete urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to veto the bill creating the Negros Island Region (NIR), not just to express "dissent," but also to "safeguard" the province's future.

This came after the Senate Bill No. 2507, which seeks the creation of the NIR comprising Negros Occidental including Bacolod City, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, was approved recently. 

In a statement published on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Facebook page on Thursday, April 11, the Diocese said the public mass’ concerns and decision on the matter should be considered, as the bill was lacking inclusive information dissemination and insightful consultation with the province’s various sectors and stakeholders. 

“As custodians of democracy, it is the people’s inherent right to be fully informed and actively engaged in decisions of such magnitude for they shape the trajectory of our collective destiny,” it said. 

It also called attention to the “disproportionate” effect of the NIR creation to the less privileged segments leading to “inequalities,” as Negros Oriental have fewer districts and cities than of Negros Occidental. 

“This asymmetry in representation and resource allocation could perpetuate systemic injustices, further marginalizing vulnerable communitie,” it said. 

The Diocese cited a research made by Silliman University in 2014 with results showing that 43.34 percent of the community was against the NIR initiative, while 25.83 percent was in favor of it, and 30.83 percent was undecided.