We have to hit the ground running for the Negros Island Region," Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said Wednesday. Zubiri said he will make sure that government agencies for NIR will get their respective budget in the 2025 National Budget. He said NIR is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2025.
" We are heading towards the budget season for the National Expenditure program and during budget hearings I will make sure of the NIR budget and I am willing to assist them" he added.
Zubiri met with the local officials on NIR during his arrival yesterday led by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer with the Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental Congressmen. Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer on the other hand said they also acknowledge the support of House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. for signing the NIR Law.
Zubiri said specific plans by the government agencies for NIR must be in place including where they want to locate the offices.
Meanwhile, Zubiri assured that he would immediately ask Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel to release emergency funds for Neg. Occ. which are affected by worms. " I will ask Secretary Laurel to provide pesticides and insecticides to counter the infection," Zubiri said.
The worm infestation is an offshoot of the El NiƱo phenomenon. Worm infestations have been reported in Himamaylan City and other localities in the Southern Negros and has reportedly spread in Murcia and Manapla. (TDE)