Representatives Greg Gasataya, Gerardo Valmayor, Alfredo Marañon III, Francisco Benitez, Juliet Ma. Ferrer and Mercedes Alvarez (l-r) of Negros Occidental are among the authors of the bills seeking the creation of the NIR.*
The House Committee on Local Government held initial deliberations on three bills that aim to create the Negros Island Region on Tuesday morning, August 23, Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said.
Benitez and nine other Negros representatives authored House Bill No. 1446 seeking the creation of Region VI- B or the expanded NIR , which includes Negros Occidental and Oriental, and Siquijor.
A Technical Working Group was created to consolidate the bills and address questions, co-headed by Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District) and Rep. Edu Rama (Cebu, 2nd District), Benitez said.
“We await the deliberations (of the TWG) ….to finalize the version of the bill for voting, and the aspirations of the communities we represent can finally be acted upon,” he said.
The co-authors of House Bill. 1446 are Benitez, Joseph Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod), Gerardo Valmayor Jr. (Neg. Occ., 1st District), Emilio Bernardino Yulo (Neg. Occ., 5th District), Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District), Greg Gasataya (Bacolod), Jocelyn Sy-Limkaichong (Neg. Or., 1st District), Manuel Sagarbarria (Neg. Or., 2nd District), Arnolfo Teves Jr. (Neg. Or., 3rd District) and Zaldy Villa (Siquijor).
Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer. Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) introduced House Bill No. 119 and Rep. Alfredo D. Marañon III (Neg. Occ, 2nd District) authored HB 00330, acts establishing Negros Island Region and for other purposes.
Ferrer said the provincial governments concerned and Bacolod, being a highly urbanized city, will be asked to give their positions on the matter.
The TWG was created because there are three proposed bills. The two major issues that have to be discussed by the TWG are the inclusion of Siquijor which is in HB 1446 only and the mode of determining the location of the regional offices, she added.
Benitez said he is glad that all the congressional representatives of Negros Island and Siquijor are authors of the measures seeking to create the NIR.*