Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito said on Friday, August 4, that he has not set the date for the Senate Committee on Local Government hearing on the bill seeking the creation of the Negros Island Region (NIR) yet.
The House of Representatives has approved a bill seeking the creation of the NIR composed of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor, and the passage of a counterpart measure in the Senate is needed for it to become a law.
“Given the events in Negros Oriental and now there is a new governor again, let them settle down first then we will call for a hearing,” Ejercito told DIGICAST NEGROS.
“These events are beyond our control”, he said.
“We have to be fair and get the position of Negros Oriental also,” Ejercito said.
Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo was assassinated on March 4 and his successor Governor Carlo Jorge “Guido” Reyes succumbed to cancer on May 31.
The current Negros Oriental governor is Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria.
Ejercito, Senate Committee on Local Government chairman, said hopefully the hearing can be held this year.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said on July 26, that hopefully there will be a law creating the creating the NIR (NIR) before the end of the year.
Zubiri said he expects the Senate to approve the bill seeking the creation of the the NIR before the end of September of before their October break.*