“It’s now or never” for the Negros Island Region, Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Wednesday, Nov. 22.
If the NIR does not become a law under the Marcos administration, Lacson said he does not believe it will happen at all, although he still remains optimistic.
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, chairman of the Senate Committee Local Government, on Wednesday assured that they will not delay the NIR.
They will not delay it because he and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, who both have roots in Negros, are the authors of the NIR bill in the Senate, Ejercito said.
The House of Representatives in March approved its bill seeking the creation of the NIR composed of Negros Occidental and Oriental, and Siquijor.
The Senate version needs to be approved for the NIR bill to be submitted to the president for possible signing into law.
Ejercito said the Senate’s NIR Technical Working Group has just concluded its work and the Committee on Local Government report is being prepared.
Siquijor did not participate, and just recently they sent a letter that they want to be part of the NIR, Ejercito said.
“The distribution of regional offices is still being finalized for acceptance by the provinces. But the more important factor is that the provinces should agree”, he said.
Lacson said that Negros Occidental and Oriental have already agreed on the distribution of regional offices.
The governor also said he agrees with Ejercito that a thorough study is needed to ensure that the NIR measure is not vetoed by the president.
The president is “apprehensive because of the cost putting up a new region will entail,” Ejercito said on Monday.
“We don’t want to pass the measure only to be vetoed. That is why we are making sure all bases are covered,” Ejercito said.
Lacson said he would rather that there is a slight delay to give Ejercito’s committee time to come up with a strong case for the NIR.
The governor said he is still positive about the passage of the NIR law under the Marcos administration.
”But if it does not happen in this administration it may not happen. I think this is our last chance. There are many senators who have pledged to support the creation of the NIR,” he said.
The lawmakers will need to convince the President that the creation of the NIR is a good thing, and that the development of the provinces under it will be faster, Lacson said.
“If it worked before, I don’t see any reason why it will not work now,” Lacson said, referring to the NIR that was created by then President Benigno Aquino III by executive order and abolished by President Rodrigo Duterte.
It existed from May 29, 2015, to Aug. 9, 2017.
Lacson said they do not expect new office buildings for the NIR regional offices, he said.
“We can provide offices in the meantime… what is important is that we have a new functioning region,” Lacson said.
The provincial government has a 25-hectare property in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, which can eventually be used for the regional offices, he said.
BRIDGE
Lacson also said that he still optimistic that the Guimaras-Negros bridge will be built.
The the detailed engineering study for the Panay-Guimaras bridge is expected to commence in 2024 and actual civil works in 2026, Engr. Sonny Boy Oropel, officer-in-charge of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Region 6, said earlier.
He said the bidding for the detailed engineering study for the Guimaras-Negros bridge has yet to be set.
It is probably just a delay, the fact that there will be a Panay-Guimaras bridge indicates that a Guimaras-Negros bridge will also be built, Lacson said.*