(FILE): Isko Moreno speaking in an Aksyon Demokratiko town hall meeting in General Trias, Cavite. JOHN ERIC MENDOZA
SILAY CITY, Negros Occidental – Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer Isko Moreno Domagoso on Wednesday vowed that if elected president, he will fully support the re-establishment of the Negros Island Region (NIR) to accelerate human and economic development in Negros Island.
“If the people of Negros would support it and like it, then I’ll support it kasi ang gobyerno kailangang may tenga sa tao. While it is true that you have some aspirations in leadership, but you have to listen to your people. If that would be the case, then I’ll support it,” Moreno said when asked by local reporters here if he would support the NIR once elected.
“Kung gusto niyong unification or gusto niyong as one Negros, ako 101 percent I will support it. As long as it will make you happy, it wil bring you joy, it will bring you economic growth at ikabubuti ng tao, 101 percent,” said Moreno to wild cheering from Negrenses within earshot of the interview.
Negrenses have been clamoring for the consolidation of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental into one administrative region has been 20 years in the making.
With the NIR, they said Negrenses need not go to the current regional centers in Iloilo or Cebu. Negros Oriental belongs to Central Visayas, whose regional center is Cebu, while Negros Occidental is part of Western Visayas, which is based in Iloilo.
But more than the convenience of having the NIR, proponents said it would level the playing field in terms of development management in the Visayas regions and accelerate the transformation of Negros Island as a showcase of socio-economic progress, in turn encouraging reverse migration and decongestion of Metro Manila.
The NIR was first formed on May 29, 2015, after then-President Benigno Aquino III signed Executive Order (EO) 183 that separated Negros Occidental from Western Visayas and Negros Oriental from Central Visayas.
However, on Aug. 7, 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte signed EO 38 abolishing the NIR, stressing there is a need to ensure that priority government programs and projects are sufficiently funded.
Thus, Negros Occidental reverted to Western Visayas or Region 6, along with Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Antique, Aklan, Capiz, and Guimaras. On the other hand, Negros Oriental returned to Central Visayas or Region 7, with Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Cebu Province, Bohol, and Siquijor.
Since then, the clamor to re-establish the NIR has gained traction, with Negros Occidental lawmakers filing House Bill 10534 last November that seeks to create the NIR “for greater economic coordination and more efficient delivery of public services to promote sustainable and inclusive economic development in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental.”
“As long as it will make you happy, it will bring you joy, it will bring you economic growth, at ikabubuti ng tao, 101 percent, pumunta na kayo kay ML Luihiller, isanla niyo na ang laway ko. Yes I will support it!’ said Moreno.
Furthermore, the 47-year-old presidential candidate vowed to push for the completion of the Negros-Panay-Guimaras Bridge (NPGB) to further usher economic activity in the region.
“Any roads for that matter, and any bridges that connects islands of our country will bring more economic activity. More savings plus more business. I do believe, for example, if Negros is producing palay para dalhin sa Cebu via water, then mas madali siguro kung may tulay. So those are the things that bring more economic activity. So yes, why not,” he said.
Strengthening physical, economic and digital linkages among growth centers and the rural economies is part of Moreno’s accelerated infrastructure program under his 10-point Bilis Kilos Economic Agenda which will be his blueprint to hasten human and economic growth if elected president.
Moreno has previously said that he plans to build bridges across major islands of the Philippine archipelago which will not just facilitate the exchange of goods and services, but will also serve as tourism circuits and tourism highways.
The NPGB has two components: the 13-kilometer Panay-Guimaras that will have a sea-crossing bridge length of 4.97 kilometers; and the Guimaras-Negros with a total length of 19.47 kilometers – including a sea-crossing bridge length of 13.11 kilometers.
Moreno said building the NPGB is just a matter of utilizing existing technology to build the proposed island bridges connecting the three islands of Panay, pointing to the 57-kilometer bridge that connects Hongkong and Macau.
But for now, Mayor Isko said the the first two years of a Moreno administration will focus on “Life and Livelihood” which focuses on providing the minimum basic needs to the Filipino people – housing, education, health and employment – as spelled out under his 10-point Bilis kilos Economic Agenda.
“Pero for the meantime, I have to be fair. While I dream and aspire for bigger things, what is more important for me today, if elected, may awa ang Diyos at sa tulong ng tao, paano kita ma-survive comfortably, economically speaking in the next two years,” he said.
“Kasi yun muna ang mahalaga sa akin. Then, pag naka-survive tayo, early on, in less than 2 years, salamat sa Diyos, then we go to Mars. We aspire for better thinigs. But for now, tao muna. Iraraos muna natin ang tao. Buhay, ligtas, walang pangamba dahil we reinforce our health sector capability. Then, hanapbuhay. Pag may hanapbuhay, may ipo-provide na trabaho. Pag may trabaho, may mapaghaharimunan ang pamilya. Then from there, mag-snowball na tayo,” said Moreno.
Moreno and Aksyon Demokratiko senatorial candidate Jopet Sison, as well as guest candidate John Castriciones of PDP-Laban are barnstormed Negros Occidental Wednesday and Negros Oriental on Thursday for a series of motorcades and town hall meetings.
And just like his previous sorties, the number of well-wishers and supporters that enthusiastically greeted Moreno since arriving at the Bacolod–Silay International Airport is a seeming affront to the survey numbers being proffered to the public, as thousands of Negrenses mobbed Mayor Isko as they jostle just to be near their chosen one.
“Sa airport pa lang kanina, nakaka-overwhelm na. Yung init nung tao sa pagtangap sa atin. Kulang i-cancel niya yung sinaing nya, i-cancel niya yung trabaho niya, makita lang tayo. Tingin ko, that is the opposite of whatever numbers that they are showing to mind-condition whoever they want to,” he told reporters.
“So, I am grateful and thankful to Negros. As we’ve been doing these past weeks, kami didiretso sa tao, makikipagkamay sa tao, makikipag-usap sa tao at natutuwa kami, kahit saang lugar sa Pilipinas, mapa-teritoryo man ng ibang kandidato ay mainit naman ang pagtanggap ng ordinaryong tao sa atin,” said Moreno.