One Negros: For the better?

After about a year of working it out, the House of Representatives approved on the third and final reading House Bill No. 7355 which seeks the creation of the Negros Island Region (NIR). We aren’t stranger to this bill though. To recall, President Aquino signed Executive Order No. 183 on May 29, 2015 “joining the twin Negros provinces into one region — the Negros Island Region.” This region’s life was aborted, however, as Pres. Duterte signed Executive Order No. 38 on August 7, 2017 repealing Pres. Aquino’s EO.  This time, however, Siquijor is included.

Reportedly, the root of this clamor on both sides of the island (Negros) was because politicians feel that they are left behind in infrastructure projects. That without these much-needed projects, progress will remain elusive. That this is the primary reason why poverty incidences remain high especially in Negros Oriental.

Indeed, among the many, there are two compelling arguments for the new region that are worth delving in. First and foremost, the creation of one island region itself. Secondly, that because of such creation, major infrastructures will follow.

As regards the new region’s creation, history is not on this new region’s side. Everyone is aware of what happened to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Carved out from the different regions in Southern Mindanao, it consists of five predominantly Muslim provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-tawi. Today, it remains a symbol of neglect. You don’t see factories just warlords’ mansions.

Agreeably, one may argue though that ARMM is an isolated case as peace remains elusive. So that, let’s take the case of the Cordillera Administrative Region instead. The provinces of Abra, Benguet and Mountain Province were carved out from the Ilocos Region while Ifugao, Kalinga and Apayao were sliced from Cagayan Valley. Today, the primary growth centers are just Metro Baguio and the Eastern Cordillera Growth Corridor.

On infrastructure, my fellow NegOrenses singled out the most affluent province in Region 7 as “Imperial Cebu” because it is cornering all nationally funded big ticket projects. Developments, they said, that have propelled Cebu’s economic boom.

This tag is quite unfair and inaccurate. The reason is too simple. Most of these projects are either purely LGU initiated or public-private partnerships. For one, Cebu’s North Reclamation Area (where businesses abound) was just City of Cebu’s initiative many decades ago. Mandaue’s Reclamation Area (where Chong Hua Hospital, UC Med and Cebu Doctors’ University reside) was developed by F.F. Cruz & Co. Inc. via a joint venture agreement with the City of Mandaue.

The South Road Properties (where SM’s 4th biggest mall in the country resides) was developed by the City of Cebu via a loan from Japan Bank for International Cooperation. The truth is, the national government also earned from this project through the 1% guarantee fee.

On the other hand, if the expansion of the Mactan Cebu International Airport should be made an issue, the national government never dropped a cent in this project. GMR-Megawide Consortium (a consortium of India's GMR Infrastructure Ltd and locally listed Megawide Construction Corp.) undertook the project (now owned by the Aboitiz Group). Fast forward, the MVP Group constructed the third bridge and the SM Group desired to reclaim 1,500 hectares in Cordova. As their names suggest, these are all private sector initiatives.

Clearly, therefore, everything rests in the local leadership, whether politicians or businessmen. Brands of leaderships that shall influence investors to pour in their hard-earned money into the locality. A kind of leadership that shall sincerely take cognizance of the general welfare of its constituents and not on nurturing one’s own selfish interest.

Or, better still, if indeed our politicians in Negros Oriental are bent on helping our entrepreneurs and agripreneurs and their workers (and their families), why not vigorously push for the proposed bridge connecting our island to Cebu. With that, our agripreneurs will have direct access 24/7 (without delay) of their farm produce to more than five million mouths (to feed) in Cebu. Likewise, our tourism industry will get a big boost as tourists from Cebu (both foreign & domestic) will have easy, comfortable and timely (anytime they wish to) access to our province 24/7 too.

Clearly though, in having this new region, there will be job generation to a few. There will be some kind of progress to the new regional directors, their assistants and their staff.

But what about the other struggling NegOrenses? Will they progress or retrogress? Well, only the future can tell.