• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Island solons are planning a dialogue with fellow lawmakers at the Senate, regarding the Negros Island Region bill, after it was approved by the House of Representatives, Second District Rep. Alfredo Marañon III disclosed.
Marañon, one of authors of NIR bill, said that they intend to discuss the NIR bill with their counterparts in the Senate, which is deliberating a similar bill.
The Senate committee on Local Government earlier approved five bills seeking the establishment of NIR, which will be composed of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday said that he is planning to reach out to the newly installed Negros Oriental Gov. Carlo Jorge Juan “Guido” Reyes, to start fresh talks on the NIR.
Lacson said his staff is contacting the Office of the Governor for a meeting with the new governor.
Prior to his assassination, Lacson met former Gov. Roel Degamo, who opposed the creation of NIR, in Dumaguete City, to discuss the new Visayas region.*