By Paulo Loreto Lim

According to Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Jesus Hinlo, who was in the province over the weekend for the opening ceremony of the Panaad sa Negros Festival, President Rodrigo Duterte is still considering the fate of the Negros Island Region (NIR).
“NIR still has a chance because the president told me to submit a memorandum,” he explained. “This means the president is still thinking about NIR.”
“He did not tell me NIR retention has no more chance,” Hinlo added.
The DILG official noted, he recently presented the said memorandum to Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr., which he plans on submitting it to the president later this week.
Earlier this month, Hinlo attended the Provincial Peace and Order Council-Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council Meeting (PPOC-PADAC) in Talisay City, where he reiterated the agency was still working towards the retention of NIR, despite the dismissal of DILG Secretary Ismael Sueno.
“Rest assured there is a continuing effort in the DILG that supports our stand on NIR retention,” he asserted./WDJ