By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Senator JV Ejercito urged President Rodrigo Duterte to reconsider his decision to abolish the Negros Island Region (NIR), following Executive Order No. 38, which the president signed earlier this week.
In a radio interview yesterday morning, Ejercito said he is sad over Duterte’s decision, although he knows the president had been thoroughly advised by his economic managers.
However, Ejercito said the case deserves a second look as, he believes, the economic benefits of establishing NIR were not looked at, especially after filing the Sugarcane Industry Act, which would revive the sugar industry of the region.
The senator said the region’s potential return of investment should be looked at before government spending.
He added, it would be easier for the economy if NIR remained in place due to the presence of various regional offices.
“I hope the NIR would be revived soon,” Ejercito noted.
Earlier, Senators Paolo ‘Bam’ Aquino and Juan Miguel Zubiri also expressed their disappointment with Duterte’s decision, saying they were concerned the dissolution could hamper the region’s development and poverty alleviation efforts.
Zubiri, meanwhile, stated they will not stop looking for reasons to have the NIR re-established./WDJ