The creation of the Negros Island Region and the building of the Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) Bridge are on the top of their wish list, Negros Occidental officials said Monday, July 18.
These are the two projects Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer and Rep. Francisco Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said they hope President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will include in his state of the nation address on July 25.
Lacson said he would also like to hear what the game plan of the president is to revive the country’s economy.
“The president for me has chosen very good people (for his Cabinet), now we need specifics,” Lacson said.
Ferrer said he is glad the president has taken on the post of agriculture secretary in a concurrent capacity. He would also like to hear the president’s plans for agriculture.
Benitez said he hopes the president mentions the NIR and the PNG bridge in his SONA, which are foremost in the minds of the representatives of Negros Occidental.
The congressman is a co-author of House Bill 1446 seeking the creation of the expanded Negros Island Region to be known as Region VI- B, which will include Negros Occidental and Oriental, and Siquijor.
His brother, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who is a close ally of Marcos said the president may issue an executive order creating the NIR ahead of the passage of House Bill 1446 into law.*