SENATOR Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito assured the Negrenses that the proposed bill reestablishing the Negros Island Region (NIR) will be taken up by the Senate.

"We will resume hearings on NIR. I just want to make sure Negros Oriental is in favor," Ejercito said when asked for an update on the NIR at the Senate after the House of Representatives had already passed the bill grouping into one region the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.

"One more hearing, then TWG already," Ejercito also said.

Negros Oriental Governor Carlo Jorge Joan "Guido" Reyes, who just assumed the position after the assassination of Governor Roel Degamo, has yet to publicize his stand on NIR.

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson earlier said that he was planning to reach out to Reyes to start the talks on NIR.

Lacson said his staff is contacting the office of Reyes to schedule a meeting.

Before his assassination, Degamo, who opposed the creation of the NIR, had a meeting with Lacson in Dumaguete City to discuss the proposed new Visayas region.*