Bacolod City – Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he is optimistic on the future of Negros Island NIR and the construction of bridges that will connect Iloilo, Guimaras and Negros with the support of President-Elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“I think good things are ahead for Negros Occidental,” Lacson said.
Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez reported that all 11 Negros Island solons, including Abang Lingkod party list group Rep. Stephen Joseph Paduano, will jointly file on July 1 a new bill creating NIR, where Siquijor has expressed its intention to join the new region.
Siquijor Representative Elect Zaldy “Jecoy” Villa is joining the 11 Negros solons in filing the bill creating NIR, Benitez said.
Whatever needs to be done to have that NIR on the table, at least in Congress, we will do it, Lacson said, in a reaction to the request of Bacolod City Mayor Elect Alfredo Benitez, who met with Marcos Jr., for him and Negros Oriental Elect Gov. Henry Pryde Teves to write Malacañang on the revival of NIR.
“I am glad that our district representatives have decided to file as one for the NIR,” he stressed.
NIR, which was created through an executive order issued by the late President Benigno Aquino III in 2016, was dissolved by President Rodrigo Duterte after a year.
Bacolod City Mayor-Elect Alfredo Benitez, who met with Marcos Jr. and Local Government Secretary Ben Hur Abalos, said that both are supporting the NIR revival.
During the recent concluded elections, several presidential and vice-presidential candidates, as well as senatoriables have expressed their support for NIR restoration, including winning senators elect Juan Miguel Zubiri and JV Ejercito.
“I think what is good right now, is that it’s gonna be a law, through the efforts of our district congressmen,” Lacson said, apparently referring to the filing of a proposed bill creating NIR during the 19th Congress.
With the creation of NIR, we expect faster growth in both Negros Occidental and Oriental, he added.
Representative Benitez said that the sites of regional offices will be equally divided among the two provinces under the proposed NIR bill. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)