• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. has expressed support to the creation of the Negros Island Region (NIR).
In an interview with Iloilo-based reporters, Defensor said that the establishment of the NIR will have no adverse impact on Iloilo’s economy or on any other aspect, citing the advantages of having separate regional offices of government agencies for Negros Occidental.
NIR will be composed of the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and island-province of Siquijor.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Sunday (March 31) thanked Defensor for his support to the creation of NIR, which lawmakers are hopeful to be signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. before his State of the Nation Address this July.
“I thank him for this. He understands that the creation of NIR will, and I quote ‘lead to improved administrative organization”, Lacson said.
Iloilo Province is part of Western Visayas (Region 6) together with Negros Occidental, Capiz, Antique, Aklan and Guimaras.
Lacson is the chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council-6 while Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez chairs the Regional Development Council-6. Both leaders are staunch supporters of the creation of the NIR.
“The separation caused by the sea justifies the need for Negros to have its own regional offices, leading to improved administrative organization,” Defensor said.
Residents of Negros Occidental and both of Negros Oriental and Siqujior have to cross either to Iloilo or Cebu, respectively, to conduct transactions with the regional offices.
Earlier, Bishop Julito Cortes of the Diocese of Dumaguete expressed opposition to the creation of the NIR, saying there is a strong opposition to the establishment of another region.
“It’s an insult to the people. Our congressmen are supposed to represent the voice of the people, I believe,” the bishop said in an interview with Dumaguete-based media.
The NIR bill was co-authored by all the lawmakers from Negros Island and Siquijor. | GB
