A BILL seeking to revive the Negros Island Region (NIR) has already been filed at the House of Representative.
This was announced by Negros Occidental Second District Rep. Alfredo Marañon III on the sidelines of the ceremonial oath-taking of the elected officials of Cadiz City and 55th Charter Day celebration of the city at the Cadiz Arena yesterday, July 4.
Marañon said he filed House Bill (HB) 330 on Friday, July 1, ahead of another bill to be filed by Third District Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez along with all congressmen in Negros Occidental and Oriental.
“That was a separate bill, but it will still be consolidated [with the other bill] as it reaches the committee hearing,” he said, adding that based on his conversation with some other congressmen in the province on Friday, they will also file the bill drafted by Benitez as soon as it will be signed by all congressmen.
Earlier, Benitez said the revival of NIR is one of the legislative measures he will be pushing at the House of Representatives. In fact, it will be the first bill they will be filing in the 19th Congress.
"All of us [congressmen] in Negros Island have agreed to file together. Three from oriental, seven from occidental with [Abang Lingkod Party-list] Congressman Joseph Stephen Paduano," Benitez said, confirming that "Siquijor wants to join."
Under his [Benitez] version of the bill, the cities of Bacolod and Dumaguete in Negros Occidental and Oriental, respectively, will host the regional line agency offices.
The main offices for infrastructure type agencies would be in Bacolod City with branches and extension offices in Dumaguete City.
Social welfare agencies, on the other hand, will be in Dumaguete with extension branches in Bacolod.
Marañon said the bill he filed also proposes that regional line agency offices should be established in Bacolod and Dumaguete.
But, it only covers Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, he said.
On Siquijor joining NIR, the Second District solon said “if they want to be one with us, the better.”
In 2015, former President Benigno Simeon Aquino III signed Executive Order (EO) 183, creating NIR as measure to boost the economic and social development of two Negros provinces.
Under which, the regional centers are supposed to be established at the boundary of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental and Mabinay, Negros Oriental.
But two years later, President Rodrigo Duterte, through another EO, abolished the NIR, citing lack of funds.
For Marañon, there is a big chance for NIR revival to be realized this time.
“Many are supporting it including some national leaders,” he added.
Even Benitez earlier expressed optimism that the measure will succeed this time under the administration of incoming President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
His brother, Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said some Cabinet officials of Marcos are amenable to the reestablishment of NIR.*