- GILBERT BAYORAN
he proposal to create a Negros Island Region hit a snag after Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo opposed the move of Negros Occidental officials and all the solons of Negros Island, for its establishment.
“That’s not good news,” was the reply of Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, when asked for his comment on the opposition of Degamo to the proposed establishment of NIR, which includes Negros Oriental and Siqujior.
During the 4th Regional Development Council-Central Visayas (RDC-7) Full Council Meeting in Cebu City Dec. 6, Degamo, who attended the meeting virtually, was quoted as saying that he sees “no problem with Negros Oriental continuing to be part of the Central Visayas region”.
He added that Negros Oriental would rather prefer (to stay) with Cebuano-speaking people of Bohol, Cebu, and Siquijor provinces, stressing that establishing the NIR should not be done hastily since there are a lot of issues to resolve, such as cultural differences, among others.
Asked if the provincial government of Negros Occidental will reach out to Degamo to convince him to support the NIR proposal, as what then governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. did, Lacson said “we can do that, and find out what changed his mind.”
Lacson said that the Senate Committee on Local Government, chaired by Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, has approved several bills seeking the establishment of the NIR.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Ejercito, who is also the Senate deputy majority leader, and senators Bong Revilla, Sherwin Gatchalian, and Lito Lapid sponsored separate bills creating the NIR.
Ejercito presided over a committee hearing recently, and said there is a strong clamor for NIR, the establishment of which will fast-track the delivery of services and bring closer the national government to the people.
While rightsizing is a priority of the current administration, Ejercito, whose mother hails from Negros Occidental, said it is necessary to boost the efficiency of service delivery in the grassroots and provide convenience for the region’s residents.
Zubiri, whose father is from Kabankalan, Negros Occidental, said the Siquijor governor also expressed intention to join the new region.
“We will just support their stand,” Lacson said.
Negros Occidental 6th District Rep. Mercedes Alvarez, who co-chairs the Technical Working Group, said they were tasked by the House Local Government Committee to consolidate all the proposed bills for NIR, co-authored by six congressmen of Negros Occidental, three solons of Negros Oriental, and Abang Lingkod Rep. Stephen Joseph Paduano.
As to the opposition of Degamo to the proposal, Alvarez said they were not aware of it, although she confirmed that the committee already sent a request for a position paper from the Negros Oriental provincial government, in October and then in November, although no reply was receive yet.
Alvarez said she will discuss it with the TWG members./GB
