MEMBERS of Hugpong Federal Movement of the Philippines (HFMP) will gather in Bacolod City Saturday to advance the cause of federalism also seen to help Negrenses in their call to sustain the Negros Island Region (NIR) or Region 18.
The group will gather at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon at noon and will later convene at the Panaad Park and Stadium for a program at 3 p.m.
The activity is dubbed Federalism: The People’s Call for Unity and Peace, with a theme “Ako ay Pilipino, Mahal ko ang Bayan ko.”
The group is calling on Negrenses to unite by supporting President Rodrigo Duterte and his advocacy on federalism.
Aside from the group’s cause on federalism, they are also pushing for the retention of NIR.
Among the officials in Negros Occidental expected to attend are Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., Sagay City Mayor Alfredo Marañon III, and Toboso Mayor Richard Jaojoco. They will speak about the appeal of the province to the President to maintain the establishment of Region 18.
Different sectors are also expected to join the activity, which will be followed by a candlelighting and the signing of the manifesto of support for the retention of NIR.
‘Change of heart’
rWith the aggressive campaign of the Negrenses to save NIR, Marañon expressed belief that the President has a change of heart.
This, after the executive order abolishing NIR was not yet signed by Duterte a month after the report came out that the order was ready for his signature.
Marañon said: “Amat-amat man siya humok, nakita niya ang advantage. Para ni sa pumuluyo sang Negros, para sa 4.8 million Negrenes (Slowly, his heart is changing, he saw the advantage. This is for the people of Negros, for the 4.8 million Negrenses).”
Last Tuesday, Marañon, along with the regional directors of various government agencies, appeared before the House Special Committee on Visayas Development chaired by Negros Occidental Fifth District Representative Alejandro Mirasol.
The hearing, which sought to address the issues and concerns hounding the existence of the NIR, was held at the House of Representatives in Batasan Hills, Quezon City.
Acting Director Leila Magda Rivera of the Department of Budget and Management Local Government and Regional Coordination Bureau admitted during the hearing that there will be no additional expenses if the appropriation from the previous regions of the two Negros provinces will be downloaded directly to NIR.
Marañon said that all directors of regional line agencies in NIR, who presented their agency’s accomplishments during the hearing, are supporting the retention of the region.
“All the RDs (regional directors) are saying to continue NIR because it’s already in place and it has a good result. At the end of the day, I hope the President will be convinced,” Marañon said.
For now, the NIR status quo remains, he added.
Also on November 8, hundreds of Negrenses trooped to the Bacolod plaza to ask Duterte to save NIR. They also signed the manifesto supporting the region.
Marañon said the signing of the manifesto is still ongoing “to tabulate how many” is supporting the existence of NIR.
On October 24, NIR officials led by Marañon and Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo signed a manifesto asking Duterte to retain Region 18. The manifesto was forwarded to Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno.
On November 5, the provincial government of Negros Occidental also launched a campaign supporting NIR, wherein hundreds of Negrenses signed the manifesto.
Former president Benigno Aquino III signed the EO creating NIR on May 29, 2015, which separated Negros Occidental from Western Visayas and Negros Oriental from Central Visayas.
