• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Friday (Aug. 2) he anticipates that Negrense lawmakers will push for the allocation for the Negros Island Region (NIR) during the national budget deliberations at the House of Representatives.
“Now that it is already in Congress, maybe our legislators can include it, especially our district representatives,” he added.
On Thursday, Senator Imee Marcos said that the NIR budget has not been included in the proposed P6.352 trillion national budget for 2025 since the budget preparations were already completed when the NIR Act was signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in June.
Under the Republic Act 12000 or the NIR Act, a total of P3.6 billion, spread out over three years, has been allocated to establish regional offices for the NIR.
Lacson admitted that he was already aware of the non-inclusion of the NIR budget in the 2025 National Expenditure Program, which was forwarded by Malacañang last week to Congress for deliberations.
“I hope they will be able to successfully convince the national government to include the NIR budget for 2025,” he said.
The NIR technical working group, composed of the three NIR governors and lawmakers, as well as representatives of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the National Economic Development Authority, and the Department of Budget and Management, is slated to meet on Aug. 9 to discuss and formulate the internal rules and regulations in the implementation of the new region, among others.
In a meeting with Negros Oriental Gov. Manuel Sagarbarria and Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer in Bacolod City on Thursday, Marcos said that she is hopeful that they can discuss it with the President and also seek the opinion of the country’s economic managers.
In the previous iteration of the NIR, the existing budget of national government offices in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental were initially utilized for the new region to be operationalized.
In the upcoming TWG meeting, Lacson said he would like to know where particularly the regional offices will be established.
“I still prefer one place for all regional offices of the NIR. Maybe in Kabankalan City and Mabinay, which was the original plan, especially if there is a good property in that area,” he added.
Mayor Benjie Miranda, who led the 27th charter anniversary celebration of Kabankalan City on Friday, said that he is “ready and excited” to host the regional offices.
He said that representatives of 12 national agencies have already visited his office and requested for space for their regional offices.
Previously, the Central Philippines State University (CPSU) has allocated 500 hectares of land for the regional center.
Miranda said that the Philippine National Police, Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, National Bureau of Investigation, and National Food Authority have expressed interest in putting up their regional offices inside the CPSU campus in Barangay Camingawan.
The mayor said that the city government is willing to help national agencies in paving for access roads, security and water connection. | GB
