• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer said yesterday that the Negros Island Region (NIR) bill is now at the Office of the President for appropriate action.
Ferrer, who is serving as acting governor until May 23 in the absence of Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, said that the resignation of Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri as Senate president will have no effect to the NIR bill, which was already approved by the Senate.
The proposed new Visayas region will compose the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
During the recent visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Negros Occidental, Ferrer said the President told him that the NIR bill is good as approved.
If it will not be signed within 45 days, it will lapse into law, he added.
Ferrer said the signing into law of the NIR bill is just “ceremonial”.
Under the present set-up, Negros Occidental and Bacolod are under Region 6 (Western Visayas) while Negros Oriental and Siquijor belong to Region 7 (Central Visayas), which have regional centers in Iloilo and Cebu, respectively.
The Diocese of Dumaguete and some Siquijior residents earlier urged Marcos to veto the NIR bill due to what they claimed as lack of consultations. | GB
