Senator proposes P1.2B annual budget for NIR

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY – Senator JV Ejercito announced a proposed P1.2 billion budget allocation each year for the next three years to establish regional offices in the Negros Island Region (NIR) under Republic Act 12000, known as the NIR Act.

Ejercito, the principal author of the NIR Act in the Senate, emphasized, “Since it is now a law, Congress has no choice but to allocate funds for it.”

He expressed his satisfaction that the NIR has become a law, which has been a long-standing aspiration for the people of Negros Island and Siquijor. “Now we can say that we can effectively bring government service to the people. You don’t need to cross the seas anymore,” Ejercito told Bacolod reporters on Tuesday.

He added, “Hopefully, this can be successful, and it will spur and stimulate economic growth in tourism, agriculture, and industries. We hope that the NIR Act will pave the way for more developments.”

Earlier, Rep. Mercedes Alvarez-Lansang (6th District, Negros Occidental) stated that with the expected submission of the proposed P6.352 trillion budget for 2025 by the Office of the President to Congress in the first week of August, she is optimistic about the inclusion of the NIR budget.

Alvarez mentioned that during the imminent series of budget hearings, where all major government departments will appear, she would question them about their respective budgets for the NIR.

She also said that NIR lawmakers will discuss the NIR budget during the convening of the new region’s Technical Working Group (TWG). Alvarez, who formerly chaired the House Committee on Local Government and was a member of the Committee on Appropriations before joining the Commission on Appointments, has been informed by Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos about the TWG convening.

The NIR TWG will include the governors of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, NIR solons, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Budget and Management, and the National Economic Development Authority.

Alvarez said the TWG is expected to discuss the new region’s road map, including the establishment of regional offices as listed in the law, aside from the NIR budget and other key issues.

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, who was the Senate President when the NIR Law was approved, assured Negrenses that he will ensure government agencies for the NIR will receive their respective budgets in the 2025 national budget.