THE realization of the Negros Island Region only needs to be passed at the Senate and the signature of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Negros Occidental Fifth District Rep. Emilio Yulo III said Tuesday, March 7.
Yulo also said he sees a smooth passage of the proposed creation of the NIR in the Senate, as Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri is one of the sponsors of the bill, which will put the Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor into one region.
Yulo also said Senator JV Ejercito conveyed to him that they are addressing some glitches in the proposed bill at the Senate.
"The realization of the NIR has been a campaign promise to Negros Island of several senators during the May 2022 elections. So I see the smooth passage of the law, hopefully before the year ends," Yulo pointed out.
He also explained that the NIR would not pass through a plebiscite because it is a creation of one administrative region that is not covered by the local government code.
He is hoping that the Senate will be able to pass the bill on second reading before the Lenten break of Congress at the end of this month. Congress will resume its session by May.
The bill sponsored by all congressmen of the provinces was passed on third and final reading Monday afternoon, March 6, after it hurdled the Committee on Local Government, now chaired by Negros Occidental Sixth District Rep. Mercedes Alvarez, and the Appropriations Committee.
If the NIR Law is passed this year in a transitory period, the funding would be sourced from the budget of the Department of Interior and Local Government, and in the following years, the budget will already be included in the General Appropriations Act.
By the vote of 290 congressmen, without opposition or abstention, the proposed NIR bill was passed in Congress and was already forwarded to the Senate, Yulo said.
He also revealed the bill is a priority because it was included in the Legislative Executive Development
President Marcos is also supportive of the creation of NIR, as revealed by Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.*