Marcos commits to sign NIR bill into law

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — President Marcos yesterday committed to sign a measure seeking to create the Negros Island Region (NIR), which is now being transmitted to Malacañang by the House of Representatives for his approval.

The proposed NIR will bring together the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor under one administrative region.

At present, Negros Occidental is part of Western Visayas while Negros Oriental and Siquijor belong to Central Visayas.

“I think it makes sense because it is difficult (for people) to be… serviced in regional centers. We need to fix that. It has been a problem for a long time,” Marcos said on the sidelines of the ceremonial energization of the Cebu-Negros-Panay 230-kilovolt project of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City.

Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor expressed support for the creation of the NIR while Bishop Julito Cortes of Dumaguete in Negros Oriental opposed it.

The present administrative division of Negros Island compels people to travel to either Cebu or Iloilo to avail themselves of the services of the regional government offices.

Marcos did not give a time frame on when to sign the bill. Lawmakers, who co-authored the NIR bill, are confident that the measure will be signed into law before Marcos delivers his State of the Nation Address in July.

Senators passed the measure on final reading last month. The House adopted the Senate measure, which means that only the President’s signature is needed for the proposal to become a law.