By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

During a recent visit to Bacolod City by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) information campaign on federalism, political analyst, Professor Ramon Casiple, said in order for the Negros Island Region (NIR) to be re-established under federalism, local residents must be united and make the issue known to other regions throughout the country.

“Negrosanons should not only lobby, but make a stand,” he said.

The professor said there are currently 15 proposals on how the country should be composed under federalism. The suggestions range from three states, comprised of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao; to 81 regions, as proposed by the League of Governors.

“We don’t have, in a sense, a final position,” Casiple explained. “At the end of the day, what came out of our studies is a political decision.”

He also noted, with regard to NIR, its re-establishment would be a “political question” rather than an “economical question.”

Meanwhile, Casiple said the study committee agreed established regions under federalism should have at least three growth areas, citing a common theme supporting the government transition, “A region that is created can exist by its own.”

Last month, Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. urged local residents across Negros to lobby for the re-establishment of NIR, which was created by former President Benigno S. Aquino III. However, in 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order No. 38, which abolished NIR, stemming from claims by the Department of Budget and Management quoting the cost for the region’s retention at P19 billion./DGB, WDJ