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Funds for NIR in 2023 national budget hoped

If president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issues and executive order (EO) reviving the Negros Island Region (NIR) it is hoped that funding for it is included in the 2023 national budget, Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Monday, June 27.

Marcos may issue an EO creating the NIR ahead of the passage of a law, Bacolod mayor-elect Alfredo Benitez said on Saturday, June 25.

Then president Benigno Aquino III issued an EO creating the NIR that existed from May 29, 2015 to Aug. 9, 2017, when it was abolished by president Rodrigo Duterte.

The Negros Island and Siquijor representatives are planning to file a bill for the revival of the NIR when the 19th Congress convenes on July 1.

Diaz said if the NIR is revived through an EO pending the passage of law on its creation, it will not be difficult.

“An executive order has been issued before, the blueprint is already there, I think we just have to revive it and use the same formula,” he said.

“The NIR is well accepted, its social acceptability is beyond question,” Diaz said.

There is really a clamor for regional offices in Negros to facilitate the needs of residents, he said.

Diaz said with all the representatives of Negros Island and Siquijor supporting the bill on the creation of the NIR, he believes there will be swift action in the Lower House.

The congressmen are proposing that Negros Occidental which is currently under Region 6 (Western Visayas) and Negros Oriental and Siquijor that are under Region 7 (Central Visayas) be included in the NIR, Rep. Francisco Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said earlier.

The agreement in the proposed bill is that regional offices of infrastructure-type agencies be located in Bacolod City with extension offices in Dumaguete City, he said.

The social welfare agencies will be in Dumaguete City with extension offices in Bacolod City, the congressman added.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri has also announced that he will file a counterpart bill in the Senate for the creation of the NIR.*

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