Negros Island officials and business leaders said on Wednesday, June 12, that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s signing of the Negros Island Region bill into law on Thursday will be the long awaited fulfilment of a dream and a boost to the local economy.
Negros and Siquijor officials are set to attend the president’s ceremonial signing of Senate Bill No. 2507 and House Bill No. 7355, entitled “An Act Establishing The Negros Island Region” at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañan Palace 2 p.m. Thursday.
The NIR will be composed of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
“We are all very happy…this is a fulfillment of a dream,” Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said.
“The fact that the president will sign it into law is an achievement for all of us, Lacson said.
There will be a lot of work to be done with the setting up of the NIR regional offices and the Regional Development Council, he added.
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who is attending the signing rites, thanked the president, the congressmen and senators who have made the NIR a reality.
The new region will bring a lot of benefits to the people of Negros and Siquijor with more infrastructure and development projects, the creation of more growth areas and government jobs, and the reduction of bureaucratic processes, he said.
“The president recognized its need and benefit to us, we are very thankful to him,” Benitez said.
The NIR Internal Rules and Regulations will have to be set before the NIR can become operational, he said.
HISTORY UNFOLDING
Rep. Jocelyn Sy-Limkaichong (Neg. Or., 1st District) said the enactment of the NIR law “is pivotal for the progress of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor as public services will become closer and accessible to the people and consequently spur economic growth and development”.
Rep. Francisco Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3r District), one of the authors of the NIR bill, said the president’s signing of the NIR law will mean ”history unfolding for the people of Negros and Siquijor.”
“The establishment of NIR will bring government services closer to the people of Negros Island and Siquijor, and facilitate integrated development planning towards inclusive, resilient and sustainable development in the region,” he said.
“We hope that DILG will immediately convene the Technical Working Group that will iron out the institutional arrangements for the transition, “he added.
“We thank President Marcos Jr. for his support of our dream of a separate administrative region for Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor,” he said, as he thanked all those who made the bill possible.
Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya expects the creation of sub regional offices under the NIR.
BIZ LEADERS REACT
Edward Du, Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, said despite the church lobby and threats of legal action on the constitutionality of NIR in Negros Oriental, NOCCI is deeply grateful to the president for keeping his promise to sign into law SB 2507.
“We also thank PBBM for respecting the constitutional doctrine of separation of church and state,” Du said.
Frank Carbon of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry said “The integration of the two provinces of the Negros Island and coupling it with the Tourist Island of Siquijor will be a doorway to attract more developmental investments from both the public and private sectors”.
“More investments will create more and better paying jobs that will help eradicate poverty and insurgency. Integrating the 5 million population of the three provinces through improved land transport and telecommunication will boost the spending power of the region. Our consumer economy will be greatly enhanced,” he said.
“But we have to improve the supply and affordability of power” Carbon said.*