BACOLOD CITY, Aug. 9-- Officials of Negros Occidental pushed for a continued collaboration with their counterparts in Negros Oriental despite the dissolution of Negros Island Region (NIR).
Amid the sadness and disappointment over the move of President Rodrigo Duterte to revoke Executive Order (EO) No. 183 that created the NIR, Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said Wednesday the decision of the President should be accepted and respected.
"We will continue to work and collaborate with Negros Oriental," he added.
On August 7, the President signed EO No. 38, revoking the creation of NIR on May 29, 2015 for lack of funds.
“The establishment of regional offices of departments and agencies in the NIR requires substantial appropriation to be fully operational, thus competing with government priority programs and projects for funding,” the EO stated.
Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson proposed the creation of a special body to continue the province’s cooperation with Negros Oriental.
Third District Rep. Alfredo Benitez expressed sadness over the development, but said lawmakers will try to ensure it will not have a negative consequence to Negros.
“We, in the Congress, will work on having minimal effect to the island,” he added.
Former governor Rafael Coscolluela, who now acts as Capitol consultant, said he is “sad and disappointed, but challenged.”
Coscolluela, a member of NIR-Technical Working Group, said that in the meantime, both provinces can explore creating a Negros Development Alliance to keep the island’s initiatives going.(PNA)
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