It is good news that the substitute bill creating the Negros Island Region was approved by the House Committee on Local Government, Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Thursday, January 12.
However, “this is just very preliminary, this is just a first step. What will be more difficult I think is when this will be elevated to the Committee on Appropriations,” Lacson said.
“But it’s moving toward the creation of the NIR”, he added.
Lacson said he has not been able to reach Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo to set a meeting on the NIR.
Degamo is opposed to its creation.
“We’re still hoping that at the end of the day Gov. Degamo will support the idea of an NIR,” he said.
The substitute bill seeks the creation of an NIR composed of Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Bacolod City and Siquijor.
Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District) said the bill will have to be approved by the House Committee on Appropriations, before moving to plenary debate for second reading and nominal voting for approval on third reading.
She said no initial funding for the NIR will be needed as it can be sourced from the budgets of the different national government agencies.
The senators are waiting for the Lower House to approve the bill so they can move their counterpart measure, she said.
When the bills of the Lower House and Senate are reconciled they will be sent to the president. She was told the president is supportive of the NIR creation so he is likely to sign the bill into law, Alvarez said.*