BACOLOD CITY – Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Saturday expressed his support to calls for the restoration of the Negros Island Region (NIR) if elected president in next year’s polls.
“If that’s what the people of Negros Island want, that’s what we will follow,” said Lacson, who, along with his running mate and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, spoke to more than 1,000 cheering supporters at the Tangub multipurpose gym in Bacolod City.
They were accompanied by their senatorial candidates which include actor and former congressman Monsour Del Rosario, who is a Negrense, and Dr. Minguita Padilla.
They were also greeted by MassKara dancers and supporters waving yellow, blue, and red balloons.
Lacson and Sotto also vowed to pursue their Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment (BRAVE) if they win in the 2022 polls.
BRAVE aims to empower local government units down to the barangay level by implementing bottom up planning of the budget to address the needs of the Filipino people.
Lacson stressed the need for the fully digitalization of the Bureau of Customs to prevent sugar smuggling, and the need for government intervention on the rising prices of fertilizer.