The long wait and halt could be a ”go” this time as Negros Oriental Governor Chaco Sagarbarria, Vice Governor Jake Reyes, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose “Bong” Lacson, Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo, Chairman of the Committee on Local Government, Senator JV Ejercito, Siquijor Governor Jake Villa, and team discussed over a luncheon meeting in Manila Senate Bill No. 89 or “An Act Establishing The Negros Island Region To Be Known As Region XVIII”.
Zubiri’s bill caused a stir of issues on the previous administration in Negros Oriental when it was introduced in July 2022.
“Ang layunin po nitong NIR bill ay ilapit sa taumbayan ang ating serbisyo publiko under one administrative region.”
“Ang layunin po nitong NIR bill ay ilapit sa taumbayan ang ating serbisyo publiko under one administrative region, para hindi na nila kailangang bumiyahe sa Iloilo o Cebu upang makakuha ng serbisyo sa gobyerno,” the veteran legislator said.
Three Governors – Sagarbarria, Lacson and Villa – are to decide for the best of its constituents whether or not to proceed to sign the bill in the coming days.
Villa, who joined in via Zoom, said “I am in favor of whatever this group will decide”.
There is a question as to where the regional office will be placed.
There are partial undertakings that Regional Offices DSWD, DOLE, DPWH, Tourism will be with the Oriental, NIA and DAR will be with the Occidental.
