QUEZON CITY -- The bid to retain the Negros Island Region (NIR) got another boost as lawmakers from the rest of the Visayas expressed support to the continued existence of the new region.
Tuesday’s hearing of the Special Committee on Visayas Development chaired by Negros Occidental fifth district Representative Alejandro Mirasol served as a venue to clarify some of the issues and concerns involving NIR, particularly the budget for its operations and personnel.
“The committee is committed to support the NIR through a resolution. We will give emphasis to the status of the NIR,” Mirasol said at the end of the hearing held at the R.V. Mitra Building of the House of Representatives at the Batasan Complex here.
Eighteen Visayas legislators attended the hearing, including Mirasol.
He was joined by fellow lawmakers from Negros Occidental Melecio Yap, Leo Rafael Cueva, Alfredo Benitez, Juliet Marie Ferrer, and Stephen Paduano. Also present were Jocelyn Limkaichong, Manuel Sagarbarria and Arnulfo Teves of Negros Oriental, Raul del Mar, Jonas Cortes, Wilfredo Caminero, and Peter John Calderon of Cebu, Jerry Treñas of Iloilo City, and Arthur Defensor Jr. of Iloilo Province, Carlito Marquez of Aklan, Emmanuel Billones of Capiz, and Edgar Sarmiento of Samar.
Mirasol said that his committee will still be constituted since only the chairman’s post has been filled, but he is optimistic that the body will be able to come up with a resolution in time for the next Cabinet meeting in December when the NIR concerns will be tackled.
Sarmiento categorically expressed support to the retention of the NIR, and even read a portion of the Negrenses’ appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte.
“I appeal to the President to give a chance to our brothers in Negros to have NIR,” he said during the hearing.
Treñas said it is “very clear” that NIR is “going to continue to exist next year based on the budget approved for Regions 6 (Western Visayas) and 7 (Central Visayas).”
“There is no lack of funds,” the lawmaker said, adding that the issue pertains to policy, whether the NIR will be allowed to exist, and not whether it can operate or not under the present set-up.
“As of now, all the regional line agencies are operating,” Treñas added.
Benitez said he joins Treñas’s position, saying the issue has nothing to do with the budget.
He added during an interview after the hearing that he is pushing for a status quo, for both Negros provinces to remain as one region until a law will be passed for NIR become a region, or until the shift to federalism pushes through.
Acting Director Leila Magda Rivera of the Department of Budget and Management Local Government and Regional Coordination Bureau said the allocation of budget for the NIR is a “matter of policy,” adding that there is no line item for the 18 in the 2017 national budget.
She added that the supposed executive order to abolish the NIR is “under study.”
Rivera, however, also admitted that there will be no additional expenses if the budget of both Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental currently lumped with Western Visayas and Central Visayas, respectively, will be downloaded directly to NIR.
Accomplishments
During the hearing, about 30 regional directors came to present the accomplishments of their respective agencies although only six were allowed to give their presentations.
These included Director Efren Carreon of National Economic Development Authority, Director Anthony Nuyda of Department of Interior and Local Government, Chief Superintendent Renato Gumban of Police Regional Office-18, Director Leah Delfinado of Department of Public Works and Highways, Joyce Wendam of Department of Agriculture, and Gilbert Sadsad of Department of Education.
After listening to some of the accomplishments, Mirasol asked the regional directors if anyone of them is in favor of the abolition of the NIR. Nobody said yes.
Before the hearing ended, he asked the other regional directors to submit their respective accomplishment reports.
Mirasol said that based on the presentations, there seems no problem in the operations of the NIR.
Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., who also attended the hearing, reiterated that the creation of the NIR has long been the clamor of the Negrenses.