“No 2016 budget for NIR, not a problem”

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Government officials in Negros Oriental, who visited this city for two Negros Occidental events, said it would not be a problem if there is no budget for 2016 for the newly-created Negros Island Region, or Region 18.

Negros Oriental Vice Governor Edward Mark Macias said this will "not matter much," because the respective budget for next year of the two Negros provinces-Occidental and Oriental-is still with the regions it belonged to previously.

Under the NIR, created through Executive Order 183 signed by President Benigno Aquino III on May 29, Negros Occidental was separated from Western Visayas (Region 6), and Negros Oriental from Central Visayas (Region 7).

Macias said the EO was signed "late," which was the reason why NIR was not included in the General Appropriations Act for 2015.

"At first, we were pushing to include NIR in the budget through amendments but we did not make it," the vice governor said. "Anyway, it is only the first year. There is still next year. By then, we can have the budget already," he said.

Macias said 2016 will be the first year of operation of the new region, as he likened it as "baby steps." He was also optimistic that NIR will continue to move forward in the succeeding years.

Negros Oriental 2nd district Representative George Arnaiz, who was with Macias, said the problem on the budget is one of the "hardships" the new region has to hurdle. The Department of Budget and Management is looking for a way to slice out a budget for the line agencies in the NIR, he said.

Arnaiz said two provinces are now preparing for the first Regional Development Council-18 meeting on December 4 in Bacolod City, which will be an "introduction" for the NIR.

He said the development of the NIR is "something that cannot be attained within several meetings," and that it needs further discussions and studies that will span for several years. More government agencies have already established "skeletal forces" in the new region, he added.

Macias and Arnaiz were in Bacolod on Wednesday for the opening rites of the 10th Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival and the 12th National Organic Agriculture Congress. — Marchel P. Espina (FREEMAN)