Two senators who were in Bacolod City for the MassKara Festival aired their support for the creation of the Negros Island Region (NIR) last night, October 20.
The House of Representatives approved a bill seeking the creation of the NIR composed of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor in March, and the passage of a counterpart measure in the Senate is needed.
Senators Francis Tolentino and Mark Villar, who joined the MassKarade Ball at Sugarland Hotel, said they would support what the people of Negros want.
“I will follow the will of the people of Negros…I will always support the people of Negros,” Villar said.
Tolentino said ”the consensus right now is for the reestablishment of the NIR…I support the NIR.”
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier said that the Senate will approve the NIR bill in December.
All of the congressmen and governors of three provinces support the creation of the NIR.
Negros Occidental is currently under Western Visayas with regional offices in Iloilo and Negros Oriental and Siquijor are under Central Visayas with regional offices in Cebu.*