The Senate Committee on Local Government approved five bills seeking to establish the Negros Island Region (NIR), which is expected to cover the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, on Monday, December 5, Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said.
Ejercito, who chairs the committee, said it is clear that the people of Negros Occidental and Oriental need the NIR so that services of the national government can be accelerated and brought closer to them.
“We also believe that this will also be the way to make the region more vibrant,” he added.
Several bills filed by the representatives of Negros Island and Siquijor seeking the creation of the NIR are also pending before the House Committee on Local Government.
The bills are being consolidate by the House Committee’s Technical Working Committee co-chaired by Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District).
She said they were awaiting the comments of the Department of Budget and Management.
While rightsizing is a priority of the current administration, Ejercito, whose mother is from Bacolod City, said the Senate NIR bills that will be consolidated are necessary for boosting the efficiency of service delivery in the area and providing convenience for the region’s residents.
The bills include Ejercito’s Senate Bill No. 1236, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri’s Senate Bill No. 89, Senator Win Gatchalian’s Senate Bill No. 812, Senator Bong Revilla’s Senate Bill No. 1422, and Senator Lito Lapid’s Senate Bill No. 1469.
Zubiri, whose father is from Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, said there is growing clamor for the establishment of the NIR since residents of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental still have to travel to either Iloilo or Cebu to transact with the regional offices of several national government agencies.
“It’s the ease of doing business for government transactions…I don’t think it’s going to cost us more to revive the NIR, because it has been done for several years,” Zubiri said.
Majority Floor Leader Joel Villanueva vowed to schedule the bills for second reading “as soon as the committee report reaches his office”, Ejervcito said.
In 2015, the NIR was established through Executive Order No. 183 issued by then President Benigno Aquino III. It was abolished in 2017 by then President Rodrigo Duterte through Executive Order No. 38.*