PBBM SIGNS LAWS CREATING NEGROS ISLAND REGION AND IMPROVING TAX COLLECTION

Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor are now under one region after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed two laws creating the Negros Island Region and improve tax collection in the country.

“We sign into law two bills — the Negros Island Region Act or the NIR Act and the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act (RPVARA). This moves us closer to attaining the vision of a resilient and a progressive and newer Philippines,” President Marcos said.

The new Negros Island Region was signed into law by the President (Photo courtesy of Philippine Star)

Under the new law or the Republic Act No. 12000, the Negros Island Region (NIR) will be composed of Negros Occidental including Bacolod City, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor. This is to promote “administration decentralization; strengthen local autonomy; and accelerate economic, cultural and social development.”

Marcos said that, “For decades now, Negrenses have endured the rigors of sea travel, unnecessary expenses, bureaucratic red tape, and inefficiency that this arrangement has brought, especially when there is a need to urgently access government services from regional centers on other islands.”

“This union is long overdue and makes very practical sense, especially in the Negros Island, where people are located on one island but are governed under separate administrative regions,” he added.

The Negros Occidental and Bacolod City was under Region 6 (Western Visayas) before while the Negros Oriental and Siquijor was under Region 7 (Central Visayas). The proposal to separate the region for two provinces began in the 1980s which aims to generate more fund and create more livelihood opportunities for residents of the island.

“We envision as well the NIR as one of the centers of development in the Visayas, further accelerating socio-economic development for the millions of Negrenses and providing strategic convergence regarding resources, investments, and economic planning,” Marcos stated.

On the other hand, the new law on RPVARA, according to Marcos “Is borne out of the necessity and the realization that there is a need to enhance the country’s tax collection system so we can generate revenues, generate jobs, and investments all over the country. No longer will we rely on the outdated valuation system.”

Source: Presidential Communications Office

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