By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Senate is now waiting for Negros Oriental Governor Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria’s position paper for the proposed reestablishment of the Negros Island Region (NIR).

Negros Occidental 3rd District Congressman Jose Francisco Benitez said Senator JV Ejercito had already told him that Sagarbarria backs the reestablishment of the region.

It can be recalled that Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he will no longer visit Sagarbarria in Dumaguete City, as he is positive that his counterpart in Negros Oriental will not oppose NIR’s reestablishment.

Sagarbarria’s predecessor, the late Governor Roel Degamo, opposed the proposal, stating the cultural divide between the Oriental and Occidental side, the Negros Occidental’s “political dominance,” and “unequal voting” within the Regional Development Council meetings if the NIR is established.

Degamo was assassinated in Pamplona town on March 4.

He was replaced by Governor Carlo Jorge Joan Reyes, but he passed away on June 4.

Earlier, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said the NIR would be approved in December of this year.

He vowed that he would give a strong counter-argument against those who oppose the creation of the region.

Under the proposed measure, the NIR will be composed of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor provinces./DGB, WDJ