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[av_heading heading=’NO MORE NIR NegOcc local officials saddened ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY MAE SINGUAY
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BACOLOD City – When President Rodrigo Duterte abolished the creation of the Negros Island Region (NIR) yesterday, local officials were saddened.
“We have to abide by the EO (executive order) revoking the NIR,” said Negros Occidental governor Alfredo Marañon Jr.
But even with the revocation, Marañon said the provincial government will still champion development projects in Negros.
“Though short-lived, accomplishments made by the agencies based in NIR were beyond compare. Their annual reports proved that they performed very well,” he added.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia also said Duterte’s action must be respected but he hopes the president would reconsider.
Leonardia hopes Rep. Greg Gasataya brings the issue to the “debating table.”
“I hope we can still appeal this. With valid justifications, maybe NIR can still be given a second chance,” the mayor said in a statement.
EO No. 38 reverted Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental to their former regions 6 (Western Visayas) and 7 (Central Visaya), respectively.
Duterte cited for the lack of budget for NIR since its creation two years ago.
“The budget requirements of NIR is more or less P19 billion. Maybe the passage of the free tertiary education in our state colleges and universities outweighed the retention of the region,” said Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran.
Meanwhile, Councilor Em Ang said the revocation will result to setbacks in fast-tracking development through integrated ecosystems-based planning in the two provinces.
Interim regional offices were already established in Bacolod and Dumaguete cities, Ang said.
“Such integration would have been advantageous in providing speedy services,” she added.
Moreover, Councilor Caesar Distrito said locals will now go back to Iloilo City to visit regional offices.
The Police Regional Office 18, meanwhile, is waiting for an official communication from the national headquarters./PN
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