Former Negros Occidental governor Rafael Coscolluela said he fully supports the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.’s (NOCCI) defense of the Negros Island Region (NIR) following opposition aired by the Diocese of Dumaguete.
“I also hope that the apprehensions and misgivings aired by the Diocese of Dumaguete are laid to rest via dialog among all concerned parties,” said Coscolluela on Sunday, April 21.
The bill seeking the creation of the NIR composed of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor is awaiting the signature of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to become a law.
Marcos, while in Bacolod City on April 8, said he would sign the bill into law.
Coscolluela reiterated that the new region should be called the “Negros-Siquijor Administrative Region” and not just NIR.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, reacting to the NOCCII statement, said both the Oriental and Occidental chambers of commerce have always been in support of NIR and are in fact eager to collaborate even more once it is signed into law.
Frank Carbon, Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry vice president, said the business community in Negros Occidental is praying that the bishop and priests of the Diocese of Dumaguete will also support the creation of the NIR.
“The president is already converted, we need to bring the Church in Negros Oriental to our side,” Carbon said.
Carbon said he is thankful for the NOCCII’s continued support for the NIR.
NOCCI, in a letter to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday, April 18, expressed its full support for the NIR.
The letter signed by NOCCII president Edward C. Du called on Marcos to deny and ignore in toto the March 25 request of the Diocese of Dumaguete for him to veto the NIR bill.
Du told the president NOCCI was writing to him “to respond and dispute misleading statements and unfair/unfounded insinuations by the Diocese of Dumaguete on the creation of the NIR.*