By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

There are no more oppositions to reestablishing the Negros Island Region (NIR) after the governors of Negros island and Siquijor reached a consensus and agreed to unite.

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Negros Oriental Governor Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria met with Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senator JV Ejercito to discuss the NIR bill last week.

Siquijor Governor Jake Vincent Villa joined the meeting via Zoom.

Also at the meeting were Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, Negros Oriental Vice Governor Jake Reyes and Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo, Jr.

In a social media post, Zubiri said the aim for reestablishing the NIR is to bring the government’s services closer to residents of Negros and Siquijor.

The NIR will eliminate the need for them to cross the neighboring provinces of Iloilo or Cebu.

Lacson said the Senate president would report to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. about their support for the NIR Bill.

He said the regional offices that were previously established in Negros Occidental in 2015, before its abolition two years later, will remain in the new NIR.

Lacson said they were advised by Zubiri to carefully plan the establishment of regional offices for the utilization of substantial funds.

The governors and senators also hope that Marcos will sign the bill, making the establishment of the new region a reality.

Ejercito said he is adamant that they will be able to pass the NIR bill by December of this year, saying it will be a fitting “Christmas gift” for the people of Negros and Siquijor./DGB, WDJ