By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The head of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) suspects “politics” may be behind Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo’s disapproval of the revival of Negros Island Region (NIR).
In a radio interview, MBCCI chief executive officer Frank Carbon said Degamo’s opinion on Negros Oriental preferring to stay in Central Visayas due to cultural issues is “shallow.”
“Nabasa ko man ang iya nga statement, pero waay man sya solid nga rason kun ngaa ‘di sya mag-upod,” Carbon said.
He said 80 percent of the mayors in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental are supportive of the NIR’s re-establishment.
“This time layi na gid na sya, instead of an executive order,” he said.
The local business leader also said that proposed talks between Degamo and Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson could remedy the situation.
“Basi kulang lang sa anggá. Tagaan lang diutay nga importansya kag angga-on,” Carbon said.
Earlier this week, during the 4th Regional Development Council in Central Visayas full council meeting in Cebu City, Degamo said he has no problem with his province still being part of the Central Visayas region.
Degamo cited cultural differences between Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental.
“[Reviving NIR] should not be done hastily. There are a lot of issues. For example, [there are] cultural differences between Ilonggos and Bisaya,” Degamo said.
He said people in Negros Oriental would prefer to stick with the Cebuano-speaking people of Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor.
However, he did not outright reject the idea of having a unified NIR. The pros and cons should be weighed, he stressed.
Meanwhile, Lacson said Degamo’s statement “is not good news.”
Lacson said they are planning to reach out to his counterpart and seek clarification.
All the lawmakers on Negros Island and Siquijor are pushing for NIR’s re-establishment.
The Senate also approved five bills related to NIR.
The NIR was established in 2015 through an executive order issued by then-President Benigno Aquino III.
However, two years later, the NIR was dissolved by then-President Rodrigo Duterte, who deemed the region too costly to maintain./DGB, WDJ