• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A P1.2 billion budget allocation for the establishment of regional offices of the newly created Negros Island Region each year has been proposed, under Republic Act 12000, known as NIR Act, for the next three years, disclosed Senator Juan Victor Ejercito on Tuesday.
Ejercito, who was among the principal authors of the NIR Act, said since it is now a law, Congress has no choice but to allocate funds for it.
It’s the job of Congress to include it in the House budget, he stressed.
With the expected submission of proposed P6.352 trillion budget for 2025 by the Office of the President to Congress in the first week of August, Negros Occidental 6th district Rep. Mercedes Alvarez is optimistic on the inclusion of the NIR budget.
During the imminent series of budget hearings, where all major government departments are appearing, Alvarez said she will question them on the budgets of their respective offices in NIR.
Alvarez said that the NIR solons will sit down to discuss the NIR budget when the new region’s Technical Working Group convenes.
Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, who was among the principal authors of the creation of the NIR in the Senate, earlier expressed his intention to join the TWG meeting.
Alvarez, who formerly chaired the House committee on Local Government and was a member of the Committee on Appropriations before she became a member of Commission on Appointments, said she was already informed by Interior and Local Government secretary Benhur Abalos on the convening of the TWG.
The three governors of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, NIR solons, DILG, Department of Budget and Management, and the National Economic Development Authority comprise the NIR TWG.
According to Alvarez, expected to be discussed by TWG are the new region road map, including the establishments of regional offices as listed in the law, aside from the NIR budget, among other key issues.
Negros Occidental 3rd district Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez, who thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the signing of the NIR bill into law, said he is looking forward to TWG that will establish the details for implementing NIR, making government services more accessible and efficient.
Zubiri earlier assured Negrenses that he will make sure that government agencies for NIR will get their respective budgets in the 2025 national budget.
Ejercito said NIR will spur and stimulate economic growth in the new region.
With NIR, it is about time for us to shine, Alvarez added.*
