• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo said on Thursday (May 9) he is hoping that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will sign the Negros Island Region (NIR) bill before May 20, in time for his visit to Negros Oriental.
Unfazed by opposition to the bill, Remollo declared that Dumaguete City is ready for the NIR, stressing that they have already reserved a government center, which will be offered free, for state agencies to build offices.
He added that the concerns raised by the Diocese of Dumaguete in opposing the NIR “had long been addressed.”
To questions that the NIR creation lacked consultation, Remollo said it was already implemented before through an executive order (EO).
NIR was created through an EO during the term of the late President Benigno S. Aquino III, and was revoked by former President Rodrigo Duterte without any consultations too, he added.
Remollo said that the NIR should push through as it is already “long overdue”, adding that “it is the clamor of the people in Negros to push for development”.
“Even Siquijor wants to join us,” he added.
Noting that the regional offices of Region 7 are in Cebu, under the NIR, Remollo said half of the regional offices will be in Dumaguete City.
“Cebu officials are fighting. We may be caught in the crossfire,” he pointed out.
On claims of cultural differences, he replied: “What’s the difference. All of us are Filipinos.”
“We bridge that gap, rather than separate us. We’re the same. It’s just the language,” he added. | GB
