Negros Island Region Act Promises Inclusion and Growth for Siquijor

SIQUIJOR — Legislators behind the creation of the new Negros Island Region (NIR) have pledged that Siquijor will not be sidelined as the region gears up for full operational status by 2025. This assurance was made in response to concerns from some residents of Siquijor about their inclusion in the newly formed region.

According to Philippines News Agency, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri and Representative Mercedes Alvarez of Negros Occidental’s Sixth District, the inclusion of Siquijor along with Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental under the NIR Act is a strategic move to decentralize administration and boost local development. The act aims to consolidate Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor into a single region, separating them from their current regions in Western and Central Visayas.

During a press conference at L’ Fisher Hotel, Zubiri appealed to the skeptics in Siquijor, emphasizing the practical benefits of being part of the NIR. He highlighted the reduced travel time to Dumaguete City, which will host key regional offices, making it only a 20-minute journey for Siquijor residents. This proximity is expected to facilitate easier access to governmental services and resources, thus accelerating development in Siquijor.

The NIR Act specifies that various national government agencies will establish regional offices in the new administrative region. In Negros Oriental, departments such as Education, Social Welfare, Health, and others will set up, whereas Bacolod City and Negros Occidental will host offices for Agriculture, Environment, Agrarian Reform, and several other critical sectors.

Representative Alvarez reassured that the new regional framework is designed to ensure that no province, including Siquijor, is overlooked in terms of development and attention from the national government. The NIR, as stated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. upon signing the act into law, is expected to serve as a ‘bulwark of greater growth’ and improve the delivery of government services across the included provinces.