The President of the Republic of the Philippines, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III signed Executive Order 183 last May 29, effectively creating the Negros Island Region (NIR) which will separate the Province of Negros Occidental from Western Visayas and Negros Oriental from Central Visayas.
As previously promised by the Chief Executive to the leaders and residents of the two Negros provinces, President Aquino signed the executive order that pulled out the two provinces from their previous respective regions and creates the Negros Island Region (NIR).
After the signing of the Executive Order, the EO 183 is effective immediately for the newest region in the Philippines with a population of 4,194,525 residents based upon the 2010 National Statistics Office census data.
The newly-created Negros Island Region is an idea 20 years in the making, the creation of a unified Negros region was initially opposed by Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, but unanimously supported by officials in Negros Occidental, as revealed by DILG Secretary Mar Roxas.
The DILG endorsed the unified region to Malacanang and last April 30, the President said that he would sign the EO anytime as long as all issues were settled by local officials and national agencies.
According to EO 183 creating a region for the two adjacent provinces is needed “to further accelerate the social and economic development of the cities and municipalities comprising the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental and improve the delivery of public services in the aforementioned provinces.”
Both provinces that belongs to Negros Island, Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental are First Class Provinces, however, their respective capitals have different income classifications: Bacolod is First Class City, while Dumaguete is a Third Class City.
EO 183 also created the Negros Island Development Council, the Negros Island Peace and Order Council, and the Negros Island Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.