ABANG Lingkod party-list Representative Stephen Paduano said Thursday, Aug. 17, the restoration of the Negros Island Region (NIR) could happen either through a law, or through a federal government.
Paduano said the plan to group the two Negros provinces into one is being supported by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
Alvarez will visit Negros Occidental soon to reveal the concrete plan to boost the chances of restoring the NIR and even make it the center for development to decongest Metro Manila.
“The Speaker was surprised of the signing of the President of an executive order that abolished NIR,” Paduano said.
He added that President Rodrigo Duterte was supposedly already okay in maintaining a status quo for the NIR, but then the President heard a rumor that triggered the signing of the order.
“I cannot divulge it yet, but something happened that angered the President, but probably he will reveal it at a later date,” Paduano said.
Paduano, who met with Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. at the Capitol Thursday, said the governor has agreed to set aside political differences and band together for the good of Negros.
“Congressmen in Negros Occidental always talk, and the beauty of it is it’s easy for us to talk to the governor,” he added.