House Bill 1446 seeking the creation of the expanded Negros Island Region to be known as Region VI- B, which will include Siquijor, may be approved on first reading sometime next week, Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said Monday, July 18.
The 19th Congress convenes on Monday.
House Bill 1446 will be consolidated with the other bills seeking the creation of the NIR and will be sent to the Committee on Government Reorganization or the Committee on Visayas Development for deliberation, he said.
Where the public hearings on the bill will be held will depend on the committee chairman, Benitez said.
Benitez said he will propose that a hearing will be held in Negros Occidental.
The expanded NIR bill in the Lower House was introduced by 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) and Arnolfo Teves Jr. (Neg. Or., 3rd District).
Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (Neg. Occ., 2nd District) and Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) filed separate bills seeking the creation of the NIR composed of Negros Occidental and Oriental.
He is optimistic that the expanded NIR bill will be passed into law because there are a lot of congressmen supporting it, Benitez said.
Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri has filed a counterpart measure for the creation of the NIR in the Senate.
Meawnhile, Benitez is hoping the law, which he authored in the Lower House, expanding the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City from 100 to 300 beds will take effect next year when a budget is allocated for the purpose.
Benitez said he will push for the passage of his bill on onsite in-city housing resettlement in the 19th Congress.*