Single Negros region pushed

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines   â€“ The move to create a Negros Island Region has gained momentum, and a summit last week gathered people from different sectors in Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental to drum up more support for the proposal.

A manifesto of support was signed during the summit held in Kabankalan City in southern Negros Occidental on Friday, involving local officials and members of the academe, business sector, and non-government organizations from across the island.  

At present, Negros Occidental is part of Region 6 (Western Visayas) while Negros Oriental is grouped under Region 7 (Central Visayas).

In the manifesto, they urged President Aquino “to heed our call and create the Negros Island Region through an executive order to set up a regional center in a strategic location in Negros Island to be determined by both provinces.”

They took note that the 1987 Constitution provides that local government units (LGUs) may group themselves and consolidate or coordinate their efforts, services and resources for purposes beneficial to them in accordance with the law.

They added that the Local Government Code defines the province as a political and corporate unit of government and serves as a dynamic mechanism for development processes and effective governance of LGUs within its territorial jurisdiction.

“After a series of consultations that started 20 years ago in 1994, we have reached a consensus to revive our plan to integrate our two Negros provinces into a one-island region in order to speed up the delivery of basic services and promote the equitable distribution of resources, thereby fostering an integrated development and rapid socio-economic growth of the island,” the manifesto stated.

A total of 214 people attended the summit, including 150 provincial board members, mayors, vice mayors and other local officials.

Twenty-nine of 31 LGUs in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, earlier had passed resolutions of support for the Negros Island Region.

The provincial boards of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental and the League of the Municipalities of the Philippines-Negros Occidental chapter have also approved similar resolutions. The Dumaguete City council also made the same move.

Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. said the manifesto will be forwarded to Aquino and that they are hoping that the proposal will be realized before the President’s term ends in 2016.

Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, second district Rep. Leo Rafael Cueva, fourth district Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer, and Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano attended the summit and also expressed their support for the proposal.

Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, who was represented by board member Arnaldo Teves in the summit, sent a message that he would support the proposed one-island region as long as it gets the support of the majority of people in his province.

There were earlier reports that Degamo had uncertainties on the proposal.  

Teves, president of the Association of Barangay Captains of Negros Oriental, said majority of barangay officials in the province support the creation of a new region.  

Teves said they would gather all the resolutions supporting the move within the month.

Teves said Negros Oriental gets only less than 10 percent share from the Region 7 budget, while Negros Occidental receives about 10 percent from the Region 6 budget.

“With all the efforts, it seems to be a go, it’s a green light, so we will do our part,” said Negros Oriental Vice Gov. Edward Mark Macias.

“With your enthusiasm, we are positive that this dream of ours that started 20 years ago will come true. Thank you, let’s continue praying for the success and betterment of our people,” Marañon said during the summit.