By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Regardless of the name, Negros Occidental 2nd District Rep. Alfredo “Thirdie” Marañon III is bent on pursuing the one island region for Negros instead of creating two sub-regions.
“We have done it before. We can do it by law, Marañon said on Monday, regardless if the new region is called Siquijor-Negros Region or Negros Island Region (NIR) plus Siquijor.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer also pushed for one Negros Island instead of sub-regions, as recommended by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).
Marañon, who was among the Negros solons who filed bills in Congress for the creation of NIR, said “ it was functioning before, and we saw the benefits”.
Negros Occidental 6th district Rep. Mercedes Alvarez earlier said that she will study the proposal of DBM and NEDA, which has yet to be brought up to the Technical Working Group which she chairs.
The TWG was tasked by the House committee on Local Government to consolidate all the proposed NIR bills.
Marañon said that the TWG is still discussing the consolidated NIR bills, which he initially called Siquijor, Negros Region (SNR).
