• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday thanked Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. for his support for the creation of Negros Island Region (NIR), which lawmakers are hopeful to be signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., before his State of the Nation Address in July this year.
“I thank him for this. He understands that the creation of NIR will and I quote ‘leading to improve administrative organization’”, Lacson said, in reaction to the support of Defensor to the creation of the NIR.
Lacson is the chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council – Western Visayas, while Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez also chairs the Regional Development Council. Both are staunch supporters of the NIR.
In an interview with Iloilo-based reporters, Defensor said that the establishment of the NIR will have no adverse impact on Iloilo’s economy or other aspects, as he cited advantages of a separate regional government agency offices on Negros.
The NIR will be composed of the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and the island province of Siquijor.
“The separation caused by the sea justifies the need for Negros to have its own regional offices, leading to improved administrative organization,” Defensor stressed.
The residents of the two Negros provinces, as well as Siqujior, have to cross either to Iloilo or Cebu to conduct transactions in regional government offices.
On the contrary, Dumaguete Bishop Julito Cortes, who is opposed to the creation of NIR, has claimed that there is strong opposition to its establishment.*
