NEGROS Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said that almost all Cabinet officials of the Duterte administration are supporting the Negros Island Region (NIR).
Duterte, along with some of the Cabinet officials, was in Bacolod Sunday for the opening of the 37th MassKara Festival at the Bacolod public plaza.
Marañon said he has talked to some of the Cabinet officials, and they “practically all are in favor” of the continuation of NIR, as stated by Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
Sueno earlier pledged support for NIR, though he said there are some Cabinet officials who are opposing it.
The NIR budget is not included in the 2017 national appropriations. The funding for the NIR will still be sourced from its previous regions, Western Visayas and Central Visayas.
Marañon earlier said that Duterte has signified support to the province, saying that the President will help in “what we need and with our problem.”
He added that Duterte’s presence in Bacolod Sunday only meant that he has concern in the welfare of Negrenses.
However, Marañon said he would not the visit Duterte in the Malacañang (for now) “because we’re not assured of the time of the President. The time of the President is the most precious time. So I don’t want to bother him about asking for appointment to go to Malacañang.”
He also lauded Duterte for not playing politics, even if majority of Negrense officials have supported his opponent, Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II, in the last elections.
After the elections, Marañon signified support to the programs of Duterte.
Last Friday, Marañon, along with other local officials in the province, officially joined the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.