By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. yesterday urged local residents across Negros to lobby for the re-establishment of the Negros Island Region (NIR), which had been created during the administration of former President Benigno S. Aquino III and later revoked by President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental should not be separated,” the governor affirmed.

Marañon said Arthur Aguilar, a recent appointee to a consultative committee amending the 1987 Constitution, is currently organizing a meeting of local officials and supporters to lobby for the creation of NIR anew.

According to the governor, the current proposed regional structure under federalism includes 17 divisions. He assured there is a “work around” to make it 18 to include NIR.

However, the House of Representatives committee on constitutional amendments earlier released a draft charter identifying five states under a federal form of government, comprised of Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, Bangsamoro, and Metro Manila.

Last year, Duterte signed Executive Order No. 38, which abolished NIR, stemming from claims by the Department o