Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri expressed opposition on the plan to abolish Negros Island Region.
The move of Zubiri is following the plan of the current administration to dissolve the newly-formed Negros Island Region due to lack of budget and the plan to introduce federal system of government which will supersede its creation.
Zubiri filed Senate Resolution 203 “calling for the continued recognition of existence of the Negros Island Region.”
In his resolution, Zubiri argued that EO 183 created the NIR “to further accelerate the social and economic development of the cities and municipalities for the improvement of the delivery of public services” in the two provinces.
“The lopsided development of various areas in the island, the wide gap in poverty, and the tenuous peace and order situation with marked militarization in some areas can only be addressed when the NIR is fully operational,” Zubiri said.
Before, Negros Occidental was part of Region 6 (Western Visayas) while Negros Oriental was included in Region 7 (Central Visayas).
The plan to merge the two provinces started two decades ago, during the time of former Governor Daniel “Bitay” Lacson, Jr., but it was realized last year 2015, during the time of former President Benigno S. Aquino III.
On May 29, 2015, Aquino signed Executive Order 183 creating the Negros Island Region (NIR) to be composed of the provinces of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental.
However, last week, Department of Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin Diokno said in an interview at the Malacanang that an executive order (EO) has already been drafted for the repeal of EO No. 183 issued by Aquino.
According to Diokno, the merger of the two provinces would be an “expensive exercise.”
“Well, you don’t want to spend P19 billion for such two-province region. In any event, with the federalism, the region will not be created. So, useless iyon,” Diokno said.
There are several resolutions now passed by both Oriental and Occidental Negros calling the President not to revoke EO 183.