Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson hopes that representatives in the Negros Island Region (NIR) will convince the national government to include funding for the newly-established region in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

“Now that it is already in Congress, maybe our legislators can include it, especially our district representatives,” Lacson said.

This, after Senator Imee Marcos revealed that the budget allocation for NIR was not included in the proposed GAA for next year.

Marcos said NIR’s proposed P3.6 billion budget allocation for three years did not meet the deadline.

The proposed GAA was forwarded to Congress last week for deliberations.

Lacson said they already know that the NIR is not included in the 2025 budget.

Now that the proposed budget is in Congress, he hopes that lawmakers will successfully push for the NIR to be funded.

“I hope they will be able to successfully convince the national government to include the NIR budget for 2025,” Lacson said.

Senator JV Ejercito, the principal author of the law establishing the NIR, recommended an annual P1.2 billion budget for the next three years to be used to build government offices under the new region.

Lacson hopes that the budget will be discussed during the meeting of the NIR Technical Working Group (TWG) scheduled for August 9.

The TWG is composed of the representatives of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the National Economic Development Authority, the Department of Budget and Management, as well as three NIR governors and lawmakers.

Meanwhile, Lacson said he would like to know specific sites where several NIR regional offices will be established.

“I still prefer one place for all regional offices of the NIR,” Lacson said.

“Maybe in Kabankalan City and Mabinay, which was the original plan, especially if there is a good property in that area,” he added./WDJ