ILOILO Province, the rest of Panay Island, and the mango-rich island-province of Guimaras have now been separated from their longtime regional partner, Negros Occidental, following the creation of the Negros Island Region (NIR).
As this topic surfaced during a casual coffee session, four friends gathered around a square table and exchanged thoughts on the issue.
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“Now that the politicians have separated Negros Occidental from its Panay neighbors, what benefits has the province actually gained from no longer being part of Western Visayas?” asked the young dentist.
“Honestly, I do not understand the logic behind it, nor do I see the advantages of creating the Negros Island Region, which is now composed of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor,” he added.
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“The regional government offices are now divided between Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental, and many people are feeling the burden of longer travel time and added inconvenience,” remarked the engineer.
“Sorry, but I also fail to see the advantages of the conversion. Even our politicians have not adequately explained to their constituents the benefits of this move. Many people were never seriously consulted. One may recall that the previous Duterte administration vetoed or scrapped the NIR proposal,” the retired teacher chimed in.
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“People from Negros Occidental now have to endure a six-hour bus ride to reach some regional offices located in Negros Oriental. The same situation applies in reverse,” observed the golfer.
“When Negros Occidental was still part of Western Visayas, it took only about an hour by sea to reach Panay, and one could even return on the same day. But politicians rarely feel these inconveniences because they do not personally handle such errands and transactions,” he added.
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“It is about time that our legislators explain to their constituents the benefits that this new regional arrangement is supposed to bring to their communities — if there are indeed benefits already being felt,” said the teacher.
“Anyway, there is little we can do now. Politicians often proceed with what they want regardless of meaningful consultation. That, to me, is the slow death of democratic participation,” the golfer remarked before taking another sip of his smoothie.
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“But I was pleasantly surprised during my recent visit to Iloilo City. The public markets are no longer dirty and congested,” the golfer continued.
“The partnership between the city government and private mall developers in transforming these markets into modern, mall-like facilities has certainly become a mark of progress. Can other cities follow the same path?” he asked.
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“Yes, it was during the term of former mayor Jerry Treñas that the vision of creating these modern market facilities took shape, and many Ilonggos take pride in this development,” replied the teacher from Jaro.
“We are also seeing a similar partnership between the local government and private developers in Bacolod City, where the old Manokan Country is being transformed into a more modern facility. However, the project seems to be taking much longer to complete. Why is that?” the golfer wondered as he finished the last drop of his drink and thanked everyone for the treat./PN
