BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – A bill seeking to revive the creation of the Negros Island Region (NIR) will promote development and governance in the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
In a press briefing, Mayor Jerry Treñas backed the NIR, adding the effort aims to promote more efficient government services in the region.
“I think it will do good for Negros because they will have the whole island for themselves,” said Treñas.
He added the merger of the three provinces will have minimal effect to Panay Island in terms of economic aspect considering the government regional offices will remain in Iloilo City.
Treñas also said the proposed NIR will spur economic development and enhance government efficiency of provinces under the region.
“I support that because I think this has been pushed by the stakeholders coming from the two provinces and para sa akon basi maayo man para sa ila,” said Treñas.
The Senate passed on third and final reading Senate Bill No. 2507, otherwise known as Negros Island Region Act.
It received 22 affirmative, zero negative votes, and zero abstentions during the chamber’s recent plenary session.
Under Senate Bill No.2507, the proposed NIR will be composed of the provinces of Negros Occidental, including the City of Bacolod, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.
To recall, the NIR was a short-lived administrative region in the Philippines, consisting of the islands of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, as well as the surrounding minor islands.
It was created on May 29, 2015 by separating Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental from the Central Visayas and Western Visayas regions, respectively.
In 2015, the late president Benigno Aquino III issued Executive Order No. 183 establishing the NIR “to further accelerate the social and economic development of the cities and municipalities comprising the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, and improve the delivery of public services in the aforementioned provinces.”
It aimed to create a regional center in Bacolod City and allocate a budget for the region’s operations.
However, due to budgetary constraints and opposition from local politicians, NIR was abolished on August 9, 2017, and the two provinces reverted to their respective regions.
Then president Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order 38 dissolving the NIR for “competing with the government priority programs and projects for funding.”/PN
