ABANG Lingkod partylist Representative Stephen Paduano said Monday that his bill creating the Negros Island Region is waiting to be calendared at the House of Representatives.
Paduano filed the proposed measure last December in the wake of the pronouncement of Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin Diokno that the executive order (EO) creating the NIR will be abolished.
Negros Oriental Third District Representative Arnulfo Teves is the co-author.
Paduano added that he believes the NIR Bill will be an example of the plan of President Rodrigo Duterte to shift to federalism.
“Negros has the capability to chart its own direction and development,” he said.
Paduano said that because of the uncertainties of the EO that created the NIR, he authored the bill for the creation of the region that can be revoked only through a congressional act.
“We are hopeful to have this bill approved during the 17th Congress, whether the EO is revoked by the President or not,” he added. (TDE)