The Diocese of Dumaguete led by Bishop Julito Cortes is calling on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to veto Senate Bill No. 2507 seeking the creation of the Negros Island Region for “grave lack of fair, just and truthful consultation”.
Marcos, who was in Bacolod Monday, said he is signing the bill creating the NIR into law to unify the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor under one administrative region.
The NIR bill was co-authored by all of the representatives of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, and was also endorsed by Neg. Occ. Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Neg. Or. Gov. Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria.
The Diocese of Dumaguete in a letter to the president dated March 25, which was released to the media on Wednesday, April 10, called on him to veto Senate Bill No. 2507 as the “intention behind the bill until now is unclear to the general public”.
Cortes, in an open letter Wednesday, said they were sharing their March 25 letter to the president while awaiting his official response “so the public will be aware about such a bill and its serious implications to their lives.”
“Our plea is not born of mere dissent, but rather from a sense of duty to safeguard the future of our beloved province. The church’s sole concern in this matter is to ensure that the voice of the people is not only heard but also duly acknowledged and accorded the justice it rightfully deserves,” the Diocese of Dumaguete leaders told Marcos.
The passage of the NIR bill has been marred by a lack of comprehensive information dissemination and meaningful consultation with the diverse sectors and stakeholders of Negros Oriental, they added.
“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,” they said.
The creation of the NIR threatens to exacerbate existing inequalities, as Negros Oriental finds itself disadvantaged by its fewer districts and cities compared to Negros Occidental, the Church leaders said.
“This asymmetry in representation and resource allocation could perpetuate systemic injustices, further marginalizing vulnerable communities,” they said.
A 2014 survey conducted by Silliman University underscores the pervasive lack of awareness and mixed sentiments regarding the proposed merger, they added.
The findings revealed that 43.34 percent of the respondents opposed the NIR, 25.83 percent supported it, and 30.83 percent were undecided, the letter said.
The Diocese of Dumaguete also raised what it called “the perplexing inclusion of the Province of Siquijor in the NIR, despite its distinct identity, language and geographical separation from Negros”.
The omission of proper consultation with the people of Siquijor further compounds the legitimacy of this endeavor. This is the expressed sentiment of all the priests of the entire island of Siquijor, it said.
The letter is signed by Dumaguete Bishop Julito Cortes, Msgr. Glenn Corsiga – vicar general, Msgr. Gamaliel Tulabing – judicial vicar, Msgr. Roberto Bongoyan – Episcopal Vicar, Central District, Msgr. Alberto Erasmo Bohol – Episcopal Vicar, North District, Msgr. Marino Ybo – Episcopal Vicar, South District, Msgr. Candelario Catubig – Episcopal Vicar, Siquijor District, Fr. Hitchon Amahit – clergy association president, and Bro. William Ablong – Diocesan Council of the Laity president.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, in a statement Tuesday, said the president’s signing of the NIR bill into law “will be the outcome of several years of hard work and consultation with the people of the islands of Negros, Siquijor and the remaining provinces of Regions 6 and 7”.
“It culminates the dream of so many who want to taste the services of the national government closer to home,” said Zubiri, who thanked the president for his support.*