BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The bill reestablishing the Negros Island Region (NIR) has reportedly slowed down in the Senate. Negros Oriental has yet to give its official paper regarding the proposal.
Negros Occidental provincial administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson will first convene the Regional Peace and Order Council before talking to his counterpart, Negros Oriental governor Carlo Jorge Joan Reyes.
Last week, Lacson said he will coordinate with the Negros Oriental Office of the Governor.
Reyes replaced the late governor Roel Degamo, who was assassinated on March 4.
Diaz said it remains unclear if Reyes is against or supportive of the NIR.
Earlier this month, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill No. 7355 or An Act establishing the NIR.
The bill was then forwarded to the Senate.
Several senators expressed support in reestablishing the region, although Sen. Imee Marcos commented she will first study the proposal.
Prior to Degamo’s death, he expressed opposition to the reestablishment of the NIR, pointing the factors such as the unequal voting within the Regional Development Council (RDC) should the NIR be established, Negros Occidental political dominance, and “cultural barrier” between the Hiligaynon speaking Occidental side and the Cebuano speaking Oriental side.
However, he did not fully object the reestablishment by making a counter-proposal creating another province in the northern part of the province to address the unequal voting in the RDC.
Degamo’s counter-proposal raised eyebrows among lawmakers in Negros.
On the other hand, a business leader in Negros Occidental proposed giving the RDC chairmanship to Degamo as the province’s own counter-proposal for the latter to change his mind.
If enacted, the NIR would be an amalgamation of the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor./PN
