Special Committee Hearing on Support of Negros Island Region (NIR)
The Special Committee on Visayas Development, with Representative Alejandro Mirasol (Negros Occidental, 5th District) as chairman, conducted a hearing Tuesday on the issues and concerns that have been brought up regarding the Negros Island Region (NIR). It was attended by seventeen other representatives of congressional districts from Visayas – Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Iloilo, Cebu, Aklan, Capiz and Samar. At the end of the hearing, Mirasol said that the committee will issue a resolution in support to NIR. Although the committee has to be constituted since only the chairmanship has been filled, he assured that the report will be ready in time for the Cabinet meeting next month.
No Budget Shortness for Negros Island Region (NIR)
Representative Jerry Treñas (Iloilo City) clarified that there is no lack of funds for the NIR since the budgets for both provinces are incorporate in the budgets of Regions 6 and 7 where Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental belong to, respectively, prior to the creation of NIR. This is contrary to what Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Benjamin Diokno was insisting in support to the abolition of the NIR. Leila Magda Rivera, acting director of the DBM-Local Government and Regional Coordination Bureau, said that NIR’s budget allocation is a “matter of policy”. There is no line item for Region 18 (NIR) in the 2017 national budget but there will be no additional costs should the budget of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental be taken from their previous regions and downloaded to NIR.
The Regional Directors of NIR government agencies also attended the special committee hearing. Of the 30 directors, only six were given the opportunity to present their accomplishments during the short span of time since the NIR. The other directors were asked to submit their accomplishments as well. Based on the presentations, Mirasol said that operations of the NIR are running smoothly. When asked by Mirasol if there is anybody in the group (of regional directors) who wants the abolition of NIR, nobody said “yes”.
Negros Occidental Alfredo G. Marañon, who was also present during the hearing, again made the appeal that the NIR is what the Negrenses are clamoring for many years now.
