Negros Occidental leaders are hoping President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will mention funding for the Negros Island Region transition in his third State of the Nation Address before a joint session of Congress 4 p.m. Monday, July 22.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez also said he hopes the president mentions the Bacolod housing program under the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino in his SONA.
Rep. Emilio Yulo III (Neg. Occ., 5th District) said he hopes the president includes the NIR, the education roadmap, including the increase in teachers’ salaries, and agricultural development in his SONA.
Rep. Francisco Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said hopefully the president speaks of the NIR transition, education crisis, food security and inflation.
Frank Carbon of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry also hopes the president will mention funding to operationalize the NIR.
Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District) said she hopes the president will speak about devolution.
“With the recent enactment of Republic Act. No 12000, otherwise known as the Negros Island Region Act, there is a need to establish a roadmap to serve as a guide to ensure that the mandate of the law — which is to advocate for administrative decentralization and enhance the responsiveness of public service delivery — is realized,” she said.
“I am eager to hear how the government continues to perform and how impactful and robust its outcomes are, physically, economically, and socially”, she also said.
She hopes agriculture is also discussed in the SONA, Alvarez added.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the president aside from discussing the economy, poverty alleviation, peace and order, will most probably discuss education, particularly with the appointment of a new DepEd secretary, and the situation in the West Philippine Sea.
“I would also like to hear a stronger stand against POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators), Lacson added.
Carbon, aside from the NIR, is hoping the president will discuss food and power security plans, and the restoration of the annual allocation of P2 billion for the sugar industry under the Sugar Industry Development Act.
San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Aminaza wants the president to go all out for renewable energy, resume peace talks, order Congress to pass an anti- dynasty law, curb corruption, ensure clean elections, provide living wages for workers, end contractualization, and close POGO.*