President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has signed a new measure establishing the Negros Island Region, which will include Negros Occidental, Bacolod City, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor. This addition raises the total number of regions in the Philippines to 18.
“For decades now, Negrenses have endured the rigors of sea travel, unnecessary expenses, bureaucratic red tape, and inefficiency, especially when there is a need to urgently access government services from regional centers on other islands,” Marcos said. He emphasized that the law aims to address these issues, citing the uneven growth and funding disparities between the provinces that share resources and industries like sugar, tourism, and renewable energy.
The law is designed to consolidate and coordinate efforts, services, and resources for the benefit of the Negrense constituents. It also aims to streamline peace initiatives on Negros Island by placing them under one command.
A technical working group will be formed to develop a plan for institutional arrangements, organizational development, and other necessary concerns for the Negros Island Region’s development planning.
In March, the Senate approved the bill on its third and final reading, with the House of Representatives passing the counterpart bill in March 2023. Senator JV Ejercito, the bill’s sponsor, highlighted that the measure intends to divide the six clusters of regional offices between the island’s two halves to ensure effective service delivery. He also noted that the law would strengthen local autonomy and accelerate the region’s economic, cultural, and social development.
The Negros Island Region was initially created in 2015 by then-President Benigno Aquino III through an executive order but was dissolved in 2017 by former President Rodrigo Duterte, who cited funding competition with other government priority programs and projects as the reason for its dissolution.