By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson is eyeing to visit his counterpart, Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, to discuss the issues surrounding the re-establishment of the Negros Island Region (NIR).

According to Lacson, he is planning to reach out to Degamo sometime beyond the holidays.

Last week, Degamo voiced a somewhat dissenting comment regarding the NIR during the Regional Development Council meeting in Cebu City, where he cited cultural differences between the two provinces.

However, he did not outright reject the idea of having a unified NIR. The pros and cons should be weighed, he stressed.

Meanwhile, Lacson’s plan to have a talk with the Negros Oriental governor was earlier suggested by the president of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who said 80 percent of the mayors in the two provinces on Negros Island are supportive of the NIR revival.

The local business leader also said that the proposed talks could remedy the situation.

All the lawmakers on Negros Island and Siquijor are pushing for NIR’s re-establishment.

The proposed revival of NIR or Region 6-B, once approved into law, would be composed of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor provinces.

The NIR was first established in 2015, but the region was dissolved two years later./DGB, WDJ