By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has raised several questions regarding a proposal to create two sub-regions for Negros, pending the passage of a bill that would revive the Negros Island Region (NIR).

Last week, Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Benitez floated the idea of putting up two sub-regions.

Benitez described the proposal as “the fastest way to move forward is the creation of Region 6A [which comprises Negros Occidental and Bacolod City] and Region 7A [Negros Oriental and Siquijor].”

He said the proposal will force all government offices to set up their respective satellite offices in the two sub-regions.

The mayor, who also chairs the Regional Development Council (RDC) in Western Visayas, said that it is a win-win solution.

However, Lacson raised questions, such as, if Negros would have its own RDC, what would be the rank of the government personnel manning the offices.

“If we are a sub-region, how [would] it function?” Lacson asked.

He said the proposal is a “good development” as the government agencies in Negros won’t have to depend anymore on the regional offices in Iloilo City.

However, Lacson pointed out that what Negrense lawmakers really want is fully re-establishing the NIR.

“Just like what we had. We were functioning as a region here on Negros Island,” he said.

The NIR was first established through an executive order issued by the late former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III on May 29, 2015.

However, former President Rodrigo Duterte abolished the region on August 7, 2017, pointing out that maintaining the NIR would cost the national government P19 billion.

Since then, lawmakers in Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor have either authored or co-sponsored bills seeking the NIR’s revival./DGB, WDJ