EO creating Negros Island Region revoked

MANILA, Philippines - President Duterte has revoked an executive order (EO) issued by former president Benigno Aquino III creating the Negros Island Region (NIR). 

Negros Occidental will revert to Western Visayas and Negros Oriental to Eastern Visayas under EO 38, which Duterte signed on Monday. 

“There is a need to ensure that priority government programs and projects are sufficiently funded,” the  EO stated. “The establishment of...agencies in the NIR requires substantial appropriation to be fully operational, competing with government priority programs and projects for funding.” 

Aquino issued EO 183 creating the NIR in 2015, saying it would accelerate social and economic development and improve the delivery of public services in the two provinces.  

However, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the new region would cost the government about P19 billion.

Governors Alfredo Marañon Jr. of Negros Occidental and Roel Degamo of Negros Oriental said they respect the decision of the President even as they cited the accomplishments of the NIR in the past two years.

Former interior secretary Mar Roxas said he was disappointed with Duterte’s EO, saying many would have benefited from the creation of the NIR.

“Sayang. With the dissolution of the NIR, Negrenses will travel farther and spend more for services...Development... will be slower,” Roxas said on his Twitter account. – Alexis Romero, Gilbert Bayoran, Juancho Gallarde