Negros Island Region assured of 2026 budget

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY—Representative Atty. Bernardino “Dino” Yulo announced that the Negros Island Region (NIR) is assured of its budget for 2026.

Yulo told Daily Guardian on Monday that, for 2025, funds will be sourced from the expendable budgets of various line agencies.

He also noted that NIR will be included in the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) as an operational administrative region.

The lawmaker was among the guests during the launch of Colegio de la Castellana, led by La Castellana Mayor Alme Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan, alongside other local officials, including Provincial Board Member (5th District) Dra. Rita Gatuslao.

Keynote speaker Mayor Maria Therese R. Timbol of Kapalong, Davao del Norte, emphasized that the National Expenditure Program for 2025 has already been finalized, stating that “we can no longer make amendments.”

Yulo also mentioned that the Technical Working Group for NIR held its first meeting on Friday at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Budget and Management, the National Economic and Development Authority, as well as the three governors and lawmakers of NIR.

“We have completed the final draft of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). We are awaiting the final copy, and if there are no corrections, we hope to sign it before the end of the month,” Yulo said.

Regarding the location of the regional agencies’ offices, Yulo noted that “the law itself provides the designated locations as agreed upon by the governors. If there are any changes, we will need to return to Congress for the necessary amendments.”

On the possible name change from NIR to Negros and Siquijor Region (NASIR), Yulo commented that it could happen later, adding, “It’s just semantics. What’s important is delivering services to the people and making them more accessible.”

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act 12000 into law on June 13, 2024, officially creating the NIR.

The region was first formed on May 29, 2015, by Executive Order No. 183 issued by the late President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, which unified the twin Negros provinces into one region.

However, Executive Order No. 38, signed by President Duterte on August 9, 2017, revoked the earlier order. The new NIR now includes Siquijor province.