Negros Island Region Explained

Negros Island Region
Settlement Type:Region
Established Title:Establishment
Established Date:May 29, 2015 (first iteration)
June 11, 2024 (second iteration)
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Island group
Subdivision Name1:Visayas
Seat Type:Regional centers
Seat:Bacolod and Dumaguete (interim/de facto)
Seat1 Type:Largest city
Seat1:Bacolod
Area Total Km2:13,525.56
Elevation Max Ft:8,087
Elevation Max Point:Mount Kanlaon
Population As Of:2020 census
Population Total:4,760,340
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone:PST
Utc Offset:+8
Blank Name Sec1:Provinces
Blank1 Name Sec1:Independent cities
Blank2 Name Sec1:Component cities
Blank3 Name Sec1:Municipalities
Blank3 Info Sec1:44
Blank4 Name Sec1:Barangays
Blank4 Info Sec1:1,353
Blank Name Sec2:Languages
Blank1 Name Sec2:GDP (2022 estimate)
Blank1 Info Sec2:557.68 billion
$9.5 billion
Blank2 Name Sec2:Growth rate
Blank3 Name Sec2:HDI
Blank4 Name Sec2:HDI rank
Image Map1:
Frame-Width:250
Zoom:7

The Negros Island Region (NIR)[1] is an administrative region in the Philippines. Covering both the islands of Negros and Siquijor, the region is composed of three provinces: Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, as well as the highly urbanized city of Bacolod, which is the most populous in the region. The regional centers are Bacolod and Dumaguete.

The first iteration of the region existed from May 29, 2015, to August 9, 2017, and comprised the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental and the city of Bacolod, all of which are situated on the island of Negros. After nearly seven years, the region was re-established on June 11, 2024, this time with the inclusion of Siquijor, an island province located southeast of Negros that was formerly part of Central Visayas.

History

Early initiatives

Negros has history as a single province and as a briefly independent republic.[2] The movement for a single-island region started in the 1980s, when officials from both provinces proposed a one-island, one-region unit. At the time, Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental were the only provinces in the Philippines situated on the same island but belonging to two different administrative regions. Their regional offices were located in Panay and Cebu respectively. This led to the filing of House of Representatives Bill No. 1477 titled "An Act Merging the Province of Negros Occidental and Oriental into One-Island Region". This argued that the two provinces "nestle in one common island; have common fowls and beasts in the forest; share the same soil in our plains and mountains; benefit and suffer together from the rivers that snake through our land; and our ancestors roamed the same length and breadth without complications of political, social, economic, religious and lingual obstacles."

The proposal was continued through talks between Governor Daniel Lacson Jr. of Negros Occidental and Governor Emilio Macias of Negros Oriental in 1990. Their successors, Rafael Coscolluella and George Arnaiz, respectively, took the initiative further, first identifying Kabankalan in Negros Occidental and the neighboring municipality of Mabinay in Negros Oriental, with the two situated on or near the geographic center of the island, as joint regional centers. However, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) turned down the proposal due to a lack of funding.[3] At the same time, opposition was voiced by some officials from Negros Oriental who feared that the province would be dominated economically by its larger neighbor and Bacolod.[4]

Revival of proposal

In 2013, the one-island region talks were continued by Negros Oriental Representatives Pryde Henry Teves and George Arnaiz, and Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. with Representative Alfredo Marañon III and Coscolluela.[5] They pointed out that, while the creation of a new region would entail substantial costs to the government, it would be advantageous to the people of both provinces because they would not need to travel by sea any more to process transactions in the regional offices.[6] They also claimed that a one-island region would also result in better coordination between both provinces in tourism, peace and order, environment, development planning, disaster management, and road infrastructure. Edward Du, president of the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also proposed to convert existing offices of national agencies in the provincial capitals of Bacolod and Dumaguete to sub-regional offices during an interim period if the proposal was approved to defray the costs of establishing a new regional center. Various public officials and representatives from academic, religious, media, and other private sectors aired support for the proposal.[7] [8]

Notably, Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo was tagged as being initially opposed to the talks, claiming he was not convinced with a one-island region setup and that his constituents were allegedly not in favor of its creation.[9] He eventually clarified that his original stand as regards the region was being "open" to it and that there were some concerns, such as revenue sharing between the two provinces, that had to be thrashed out first.[10]

President Benigno Aquino III directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to study the establishment of a new region.[11] The DILG subsequently endorsed the proposal, noting that the new region would mean integrated planning for holistic development, disaster management, tourism promotion, and peace and order management.[12] NEDA affirmed by saying that its studies show that the proposed region is economically viable.[13]

First iteration (2015-2017)

Establishment

On May 29, 2015, President Aquino III signed Executive Order 183,[14] merging the two Negros provinces into one region — the Negros Island Region. It separated Negros Occidental and its capital Bacolod from Western Visayas (Region VI) and Negros Oriental from Central Visayas (Region VII), raising the total number of regions of the Philippines to 18.[15] [16]

Dissolution

On August 9, 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order No. 38, revoking the Executive Order No. 183 after former Department of Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin Diokno cited the cost of retaining the region to be at 19 billion. Negros officials expressed disappointment and sadness over the dissolution of the NIR.[17]

Second iteration (2024-present)

In 2020, some officials from Negros and their allies proposed for the region's reestablishment.[18] A bill was also filed in July 2022,[19] [20] and in 2023, the proposal was again revived.[21] On March 12, 2024, JV Ejercito's Senate Bill No. 2507 or the Negros Island Region Bill was passed on the third and final reading at the Senate.[22] [23] [24] [25] Some new officials reiterated their intent for consultation first before reestablishment.[26] The measure was also opposed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dumaguete, with Bishop Julito Cortes and eight other senior clergy calling it an "insult" to the people of Negros Oriental and adding that residents of the province as well as Siquijor were not consulted on the matter.[27] [28] Wilfredo Capundag Jr., the mayor of San Juan, Siquijor, called for the region to be renamed into the Negros Island-Siquijor Administrative Region (NISAR) to acknowledge his province's inclusion.[29]

On June 11, 2024, the bill was signed by President Bongbong Marcos as Republic Act No. 12000.[30] The re-established region, this time, included the nearby island province of Siquijor, upon the request of the provincial authorities; Siquijor, previously part of Region VII along with Negros Oriental,[31] was part of Negros Oriental until it became an independent province in 1971.[32] Sixteen regional government offices will be established in Dumaguete, while fourteen will be established in Bacolod.[33]

Geography

Negros Island Region consists of two islands: Negros (shared by Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental) and Siquijor. Together, the islands have a total area of 13,525.56 sq. km (5,222.25 sq. mi). Seas and straits surround both of the islands: the Guimaras Strait in the west, the Visayan Sea to the north, Tañon Strait to the east, Bohol Sea in the southeast, and Sulu Sea in the south. The region is defined by extensive flat plains and mountainous ranges that are present in both islands.

Negros is the second largest island in Visayas, after Samar, with an area of 13,309.60 square kilometers (5,138.87 sq ft). The island is primarily volcanic, making it suitable for agriculture. Extensive sugarcane plantations dominate the flat plains, cementing the island's reputation as a sugarcane powerhouse in the country. Mountains on the central section of the island bisect the island politically and linguistically: the Hiligaynon-speaking western half and the Cebuano-speaking eastern half. Kanlaon, one of the most active volcanones in the Philippines, is the highest point of Negros Island, with its peak situated at 2,465 meters (8,087 ft) above sea level. It is also the highest peak among all the islands in the island group of Visayas. Other prominent peaks include Mandalagan (1,885 m) and Mount Talinis (1,903 m). Lakes are present in the interior part of the island, such as the twin lakes of Balinsasayao and Danao. Beaches and several islets dominate the coastal areas of the island, such as Apo Island. Extensive forests dominate in the mountainous region of Northern Negros Natural Park, a protected area of the country situated in the northern portion of the island.

Siquijor is an island located southeast of Negros Oriental. Area-wise, it is the third smallest in the country, with an area of 343.5 square kilometers (132.6 sq mi). Mount Malabahoc, also known as Mount Bandila‑an, is the highest point of the island, with its elevation reaching 628 meters (2,060 ft) above sea level. Marine terraces can be found in San Juan, as well as fossils of the giant clam tridacna in the island's plowed inland fields.

Administrative divisions

The region has three provinces and 19 cities. Negros Occidental has the most chartered cities amongst all the provinces in the Philippines, with 13, including its provincial capital, Bacolod, though it is governed independently from its corresponding province as a highly urbanized city.

Bacolod, the center of the Bacolod Metropolitan Area (which also contains the cities of Talisay and Silay), is the region's most populous city and the country's 19th; while Dumaguete is the region's most densely populated city.

Bacolod and Dumaguete both serve as the regional centers of the region.

Province CapitalPopulation Area[34] DensityCities
km2sq mi/km2/sq mi
Bacolod7802.54km2NaN2623172/7,802.541219601
Dumaguete5385.53km2NaN1432990/5,385.53619557
Siquijor790km2NaN103395/79006134
Bacolod162.67km2NaN600783/162.6761
Total4,760,34014,140.7414140.74km2NaNPD/km2NaNPD/km219441,353
Bacolod is a highly urbanized city; figures are excluded from Negros Occidental.

Governors and vice governors

width=140 Provincewidth=150 Imagewidth=235 Governorwidth=120 colspan=2 Political Partywidth=150 Vice Governor
align=center Eugenio Jose LacsonJeffrey Ferrer
align=center Manuel L. SagarbarriaJaime Reyes
align=center Jake Vincent VillaMei Ling Quezon-Brown

Cities

CityPopulation Area[35] DensityCity classIncome classProvince
km2sq mi/km2/sq mi
Bacolod600,783162.67km2NaN600783/162.67Highly urbanized1stNegros Occidental
Bago191,210401.2km2NaN191210/401.20Component2ndNegros Occidental
Bais84,317319.64km2NaN84317/319.64Component3rdNegros Oriental
Bayawan122,747699.08km2NaN122747/699.08Component1stNegros Oriental
Cadiz158,544524.57km2NaN158544/524.57Component2ndNegros Occidental
Canlaon58,822170.93km2NaN58822/170.93Component4thNegros Oriental
Dumaguete134,10333.62km2NaN134103/33.62Component2ndNegros Oriental
Escalante96,159192.76km2NaN96159/192.76Component4thNegros Occidental
Guihulngan102,656388.56km2NaN102656/388.56Component5thNegros Oriental
Himamaylan116,240367.04km2NaN116240/367.04Component3rdNegros Occidental
Kabankalan200,198697.35km2NaN200198/697.35Component1stNegros Occidental
La Carlota66,664137.29km2NaN66664/137.29Component4thNegros Occidental
Sagay148,894330.34km2NaN148894/330.34Component3rdNegros Occidental
San Carlos132,650451.5km2NaN132650/451.50Component2ndNegros Occidental
Silay130,478214.8km2NaN130478/214.80Component3rdNegros Occidental
Sipalay72,448379.78km2NaN72448/379.78Component4thNegros Occidental
Talisay108,909201.18km2NaN108909/201.18Component4thNegros Occidental
Tanjay82,642276.05km2NaN82642/276.05Component4thNegros Oriental
Victorias90,101133.92km2NaN90101/133.92Component4thNegros Occidental

Demographics

Languages

The native languages of Negros Island Region are:

Notes and References

  1. An Act Establishing the Negros Island Region. RA. 12000. 2024-06-11. Official Gazette (Philippines). 2024-06-19. .
  2. Web site: Pacete: The fate of the Federal Republic of Negros. Ver F.. Pacete. November 3, 2016. Sunstar.
  3. News: What Went Before: A history of splits and mergers . Philippine Daily Inquirer . May 19, 2015 . June 21, 2015.
  4. News: Negros Island Region reborn: The long road to new beginnings . Rappler . June 13, 2024 . June 13, 2024.
  5. News: One-island region for Negros provinces revived . Philippine Daily Inquirer . June 27, 2013 . June 21, 2015.
  6. News: Talks on one-island Negros region proposal to resume . . The Freeman . April 1, 2014 . June 21, 2015 . Espina, Marchel P..
  7. News: Island region possible before 2016, Mar says but support data needed . Visayan Daily Star . June 25, 2014 . June 21, 2015 . Gomez, Carla.
  8. News: More support one-island region . Visayan Daily Star . May 22, 2014 . June 21, 2015 . Bayoran, Gilbert.
  9. News: One regional guv for Negros 'not true' . Sun.Star . August 7, 2014 . June 21, 2015 . Ellera, Teresa.
  10. News: On Negros Island Region: Degamo denies saying "yes" . The Philippine Star . The Freeman . May 1, 2015 . June 21, 2015 . Partlow, Judy Flores.
  11. News: One Negros dream: Aquino won't commit, points to Roxas . Philippine Daily Inquirer . May 27, 2014 . June 21, 2015.
  12. News: PNoy okay of island region seen . Visayan Daily Star . January 6, 2015 . June 21, 2015 . Gomez, Carla.
  13. News: NEDA: Negros Occ can survive if separated from WV . The Philippine Star . The Freeman . April 19, 2015 . June 21, 2015.
  14. Web site: Executive Order No. 183, s. 2015. Official Gazette . October 12, 2015.
  15. News: Aquino OKs creation of Negros Island Region . . June 5, 2015 . June 5, 2015.
  16. News: PNoy joins 2 Negros provinces into one region . ABS-CBNnews.com . June 5, 2015 . June 21, 2015.
  17. News: Negrenses upset over Duterte's order dissolving Negros region . . August 9, 2017 . August 9, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170809173007/https://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/local-news/2017/08/09/negrenses-upset-over-dutertes-order-dissolving-negros-region-557515 . August 9, 2017.
  18. News: Singuay . Mae . Negros Island Region revival mulled anew . September 27, 2021 . Panay News . May 7, 2021.
  19. News: Negros Island Region bill filed anew . Gilbert . Bayoran . The Philippine Star . July 5, 2022 . December 6, 2022.
  20. News: Senate panel OKs creation of Negros Island Region . Daniza . Fernandez . Philippine Daily Inquirer . December 5, 2022 . December 6, 2022.
  21. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1196749
  22. News: Cheng . Willard . March 12, 2024 . Senate OKs Negros Island Region bill . March 12, 2023 . ABS-CBN News.
  23. Web site: Abarca . Charie . 2024-03-12 . Senate approves Negros Island Region bill . 2024-03-12 . INQUIRER.net . en.
  24. News: Titon . Raymond . Southern Negros Occidental city eyes to 'benefit most' from NIR bill push. March 18, 2024 . . March 17, 2024.
  25. News: Marcos intends to sign measure creating Negros Island Region. GMA Integrated News. April 8, 2024. April 8, 2024.
  26. News: de la Vega . Chito . Diocese of Dumaguete opposes creation of Negros Island Region, asks Marcos to veto bill . 12 April 2024 . Rappler . 11 April 2024.
  27. News: 27 March 2024 . Bishop's last-minute opposition casts shadow over Negros Island Region revival . Rappler.
  28. News: 11 April 2024 . Diocese of Dumaguete opposes creation of Negros Island Region, asks Marcos to veto bill . Rappler.
  29. News: 18 June 2024 . Mayor pushes for renaming Negros Island Region to acknowledge Siquijor . Rappler.
  30. News: de Leon . Dwight . 2024-06-13 . Marcos signs law creating new Negros Island Region . 2024-06-13 . . en-US.
  31. News: Ellera . Teresa . Pedrosa . Merlinda . 2024-06-13 . PBBM to sign NIR today . 2024-06-13 . . en.
  32. News: Siquijor coalition joins opposition vs creation of Negros Island Region . Delilan . Erwin . . May 7, 2024 . June 13, 2024.
  33. Web site: Tilos . Maria Jenifer . June 20, 2024 . Dumaguete ready to host regional offices under NIR . June 21, 2024 . Philippine Information Agency.
  34. Web site: PSGC Interactive; List of Provinces. Philippine Statistics Authority. March 29, 2016.
  35. Web site: PSGC Interactive; List of Cities. Philippine Statistics Authority. March 29, 2016.