President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he is signing the Negros Island Region (NIR) bill into law to unify the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor into one administrative region.
The president, in an ambush interview at the ceremonial energization of the Cebu-Negros-Panay Backbone Project at the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines substation in Bacolod City on Monday, April 8, cited the need to bring government services closer to the people.
Both Houses of Congress have approved bills seeking the creation of the Negros Island Region. The House of Representatives then adopted the Senate version to be transmitted to the Office of the President for signature.
Marcos said it makes sense to have an NIR because it is difficult for the Negros provinces to be serviced in the current regional centers.
Negros Occidental is currently under Western Visayas, which regional center is in Iloilo on Panay Island.
Siquijor and Negros Oriental are part of Central Visayas, which regional center is in Cebu Island.
It has long been a problem, until consolidation is done it is very hard to bring government services to the people and that is the reason for the NIR push so it can have its own regional offices, he said.
“It’s probably a good a idea, even if only for that…I think I will sign it,” Marcos said.
The NIR Act will split regional offices between Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, creating new growth areas, a press statement from Malacañang said.
It is expected to contribute to the region’s ease of doing business by empowering residents and instilling investor confidence in its capacity to facilitate efficient government transactions, it said.
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the NIR could be signed into law within a month or so.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District) and Rep. Emilio Yulo II (Neg. Occ., 5th District) said they are very happy and thankful that the president is signing the NIR into law.*