Negros region bill hurdles second reading in Senate

BACOLOD CITY — The Senate on Wednesday approved on second reading a bill to establish the Negros Island Region (NIR).

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, who is among the principal authors of Senate Bill No. 2507, said the development came as a timely Christmas gift for the people of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.

“This is a dream come true for all of us who are working to have a Negros Island Region. This bill, once enacted into law, will further boost development on Negros Island and Siquijor and ease the burden of our people in dealing with the national government agencies,” he said.

The NIR bill needs to hurdle the third and final reading in the Senate before it is submitted to President Marcos for signing into law.

The House of Representatives approved its counterpart NIR bill in March.

According to Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, chair of the Senate committee on local government, the bill aims to improve the delivery of basic government services on Negros Island. Ejercito, like Zubiri, has roots in Negros Occidental.

Former President Benigno Aquino III created the NIR through Executive Order No. 183 in 2015. However, former President Rodrigo Duterte reversed it through EO No. 38 in 2017.

Proponents of the bill said there was a growing clamor for the establishment of the NIR since residents of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental still have to travel to either Iloilo or Cebu to transact with the regional offices of several national government agencies. —CARLA P. GOMEZ

READ: Senate to check economic viability of putting up Negros Island Region