President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s support for the Negros Island Region, by promising to sign the NIR bill into law, “deeply shows his understanding and respect for our wish to come together as one region”, the president of the Negros Association of Chief Executives (Negros ACE) said on Wednesday, April 10.
The benefits of unifying Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor under one administrative region will be huge, Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez, who is also the Negros ACE president, said.
“The plan promises to start projects that will help our people directly, and also make things more efficient by cutting down on travel times and making administrative work smoother. These benefits are key to improving life for our citizens and building a stronger region for the future,” he said.
Negros Occidental currently belongs to Western Visayas, with its regional center based in Iloilo City.
Negros Oriental and Siquijor are under Central Visayas, whose regional centers are also located across the sea in Cebu City and its neighboring metropolitan cities.
Benitez said the historic support of the president for a unified Negros, “is a clear sign of his recognition of our community’s spirit”.
The unity shown by the Negros ACE and the Negros Occidental provincial leaders in pushing for the One Negros Region “starts a new era full of opportunities for our island, built on our shared culture, geography, and history,” Benitez said.
“We’ve always believed in the potential of a unified Negros. Our continuous support and hope have laid the groundwork for this significant progress”, Benitez said.
“As the President of the Negros Association of Chief Executives and Mayor of Victorias City, I stand with every Negrosanon, from both sides of the island and Siquijor, in celebrating this huge step forward. This isn’t just a win in the halls of legislation; it’s a strong statement of who we are and what we hope to achieve together,” he said.
The Negros ACE during the oath taking of its officers in July 27, 2022, had presented a resolution in support of the NIR composed of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
Benitez on Wednesday thanked the president and the members of the Senate and Congress for their support for the NIR.*