- GILBERT BAYORAN
Presidential sister and Senator Imee Marcos appears not keen on supporting the passage of the proposed Negros Island Region in the Senate, as of this time.
Marcos, who joined Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte and Senator Francis Tolentino at the Teachers’ Day celebration, dubbed as “Gurovaganza 2023” at the Panaad Sports Complex in Bacolod City Friday, Sept. 8, recalled that there were arguments before that it was not economically feasible as it entails more expenses.
“If you gonna set up a new area, it should be economically viable,” the senator said, noting that offices of government agencies will also be set up in the new region.
During his recent visit to Negros Occidental, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri has pledged to see through the passage of the NIR bill in the Senate by December this year, after it was unanimously approved by the House of Representatives last June.
The Senate Committee on Local Government, chaired by Senator JV Ejercito, who traces his roots on his mother side to Negros Occidental, is now deliberating the NIR bill, which he and Zubiri, as well as three other senators, co-authored in the Upper Chamber.
Marcos recalled that she heard arguments long ago that then Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. had been endorsing the NIR, while the late Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo expressed his views that Negros Oriental relied much on Cebu and does not want to be cut off from them.
But she admitted of not being aware of new arguments on the revival of the NIR, and the present financial concerns.
“It always ends up being an economic effort,” Marcos said.
Her worry, the senator added, is that “if you have little provinces like Capiz, Antique, Aklan, then you chopped off Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, it will be magulo (messy)”.
“I don’t know what the (NIR) revival has to say today. I think we have to listen, before making decisions,” Marcos added.
Zubiri earlier acknowledged that the Department of Budget and Management is not keen on the creation of more regions and departments.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’ve committed it to the people of Negros, and I will pass it in the Senate,” he added.
The proposed NIR will cover Negros Occidental, which belongs to Western Visayas, and Negros Oriental and Siquijor, that are under the Central Visayas region.
Governors Eugenio Jose Lacson of Negros Occidental and Manuel Sagarbarria of Negros Oriental have expressed support to the creation of the NIR, which was co-authored by all Negros Island solons and Abang Lingkod Rep. Stephen Joseph Paduano in the House of Representatives./GB
