- GILBERT BAYORAN
While he is not totally opposed to it, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson Monday raised some questions on the proposal to create two sub-regions for Western and Central Visayas.
“When you say a sub-region, that means offices of different departments will be established here. If that is so, that’s good, because we don’t have to travel to Iloilo, which is the main reason we wanted an NIR (Negros Island Region). That alone is a big improvement,” Lacson said.
“The question is, will we have our own Regional Development Council (RDC)?” he added.
Lacson also would like to know the rank of government personnel, who will man the offices of different departments in Negros Occidental, should a sub-region proposal pushes through.
The Department of Budget and Management and the National Economic and Development Authority were among the national agencies that proposed for the creation of Region 6A for Negros Occidental and Bacolod, and Region 7A for Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Benitez, who chairs the RDC Western Visayas, earlier described the proposal as “the fastest way to move forward”, while the proposed NIR is being deliberated in Congress.
Benitez said they are discussing now the degree of autonomy of a sub-region.
Lacson said there should be more explanation to the proposal of creating two sub-regions.
“If we are a sub-region, how does it function,” the governor further asked.
Lacson said he is hoping the proposal to create two sub regions, if approved, is just a transition.
“We prefer to have our own Negros Island Region,” he stressed, while acknowledging that the sub-regions might only be temporary since Negros Island solons are pushing for the creation of the NIR.
“Just like what we had, we were already functioning as a region here in Negros Island,” Lacson pointed out.
Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, who is the personal adviser of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Western Visayas, earlier said he prefers to have an NIR, instead of a sub region.
Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez filed a bill creating the NIR with the inclusion of Siquijor, while other Negros solons also filed similar bills for the revival of NIR only, which was abolished by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2017./GB
