• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
In anticipation of the enactment of the Negros Island Region (NIR) bill into law, the Regional Development Council-Western Visayas (RDC-6) held on Monday (May 27) a coordination meeting among stakeholders to ensure that there will be no major issues on the way to its implementation.
Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who chairs the RDC-6, said that issues and concerns were raised by regional directors of national government agencies, especially the manpower needed to fill up the regional offices.
Benitez said he will push for additional budget for the undermanned government agencies.
The consultative meeting was also attended by Negros Occidental mayors led by Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez, Negros Occidental Sixth District Rep. Mercedes Alvarez and Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo.
Benitez said that the consolidated Senate Bill Number 2507 and House Bill Number 7355, or Negros Island Region Act, was sent to Malacañang on May 13 for the signature of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The President has 30 days to sign it, or it will lapse into law, he said.
Benitez also said that he will send a letter to RDC-7 (Central Visayas) for another consultation to hear their proposals in terms of staffing, allocation of resources, offices, among others.
A similar meeting will also be held with Negros Oriental and Siquijor to get their sentiments regarding the newly-created region, he added.
Benitez said that the President mentioned to him that he will sign the NIR bill into law.
“That is a very encouraging statement from the President himself,” Benitez said. “It’s just a matter of getting both Regions 6 and 7 organized for the creation of the NIR”.
With the adoption of the Senate version of the NIR bill by the House of Representatives on the assignment of regional offices, Negros Occidental will get the agricultural and land related clusters, such as the Departments of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, as well as the Human Settle and Urban Development, and Peace and Order and Government clusters.
Meanwhile, the Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Health and Education will be in Negros Oriental.
Alvarez said that once the NIR bill will be signed into law, they will insert a provision stating that the regional offices will not be prohibited from establishing extension offices in other provinces.
“The budget requirements will come from the agencies concerned on the year that the NIR is approved. By the succeeding years, it will be included in the General Appropriations Act,” she added.
Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez said they have already started reaching out to their counterparts in the neighboring provinces.
Last weekend, Benitez and Manapla Mayor Manuel Escalante III met with Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo and Bayawan City Mayor John Raymond Jr. to assure them of assistance from Negros Occidental, once the NIR is implemented, being a big brother to Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
Benitez proposed a fellowship and team building among local chief executives, regional directors of national government agencies, among others in Siquijor, after the signing of the NIR bill into law. | GB
