ALFONSO Bedonia, director of Department of Budget Management-Region 6, said Friday there is still a budget for both Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental even if the Negros Island Region (NIR) will be abolished.
“There are funds for projects for both provinces,” he said.
Bedonia said in a telephone interview that the assignments of the employees will be up to the heads of various regional line agencies, whether they would still absorb the employees coming from NIR, but job order workers will lose their jobs.
He admitted that it would be a waste to dissolve NIR since it has already taken off, as he noted that various councils were already convened for the planning and development of the young region.
Bedonia added that they have yet to receive a notice on what will happen to the regional line agencies in the NIR.
Prayers answered
For his part, Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said Friday: “Our prayers were answered because until now, the EO was not yet signed by our President.”
He said that someone from the administration assured him that he would help lobby NIR to Duterte so “this is good news.”
He added that prayer is the answer since it creates miracles and “will guide us.”
The governor said that 90 percent of the people from Negros are in favor of NIR.
“This is for the people of Negros, for the future. This for our grandchildren,” he added.
Marañon said the NIR is “not all about money” as the proposed budget for the region will be taken out from the previous regions of the two Negros provinces.
“We can exist (even if there’s no budget), as long as we’re not abolished,” he added.
The governor noted that 35 regional line agencies are already operating in NIR, adding that 300 policemen were augmented to Police Regional Office-18.
The crime rate in the region went down, he added.
Moreover, Marañon said that he and Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo agreed that the two provincial governments and the city governments will chip in funds for the regional offices.
He said the amount would vary, depending on the “capacity” of the local government.