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[av_heading heading=’Negros Region status still ‘50-50’ ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY TIFFANY ANNE TAN
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BACOLOD City – The status of Negros Island Region remains uncertain.
“50-50” was how Department of the Interior and Local Government undersecretary Jesus Hinlo Jr. described it.
“I do not want to speculate,” Hinlo said. “The President keeps his cards close to his chest.”
President Rodrigo Duterte was set to sign an executive order (EO) abolishing the island region, according to Malacañang and Cabinet officials.
But no such EO has been signed as of this writing.
Then President Benigno Aquino III created Negros Island Region in May 2015 via EO No. 183.
Hinlo had said the Cabinet will discuss appeals to retain Negros Region in a meeting on Dec. 5. But this remains uncertain, too.
“One source told me it will be discussed on the 5th, while another told me it won’t be in the agenda,” he said.
Negros Island Region will be dissolved reportedly due to budgetary constraints.
If not on the 5th, Interior secretary Ismael Sueno will push for the matter to be discussed in the next Cabinet meeting, said Hinlo.
“We have friends in the Cabinet,” he assured. “It will be a Christmas gift to Negrenses if the President retains the region.”
Echoing Negros Occidental governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., Hinlo said, “We could do so many things if the island region is retained.”
“The locals I have talked to are optimistic. So we must all be optimistic,” he added./PN
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