JV Ejercito: New Negros Island Region to enhance business efficiency

Senator Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito said that the creation of the Negros Island Region will make it easier to do business, as residents and entrepreneurs will have all services available in one administrative region.

"I think it will ease doing business because people who want to invest in sugar mills or agriculture in Negros Occidental will no longer have to travel to Iloilo by ferry for permits and other requirements," Ejercito told One News' The Big Story on Thursday.

"Everything they need will now be available in Negros," emphasized the lawmaker from San Juan, who is the sponsor and author of Republic Act No. 12000, or the Negros Island Region Act, recently signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

"Bad weather will no longer hinder people from Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental from conducting business or seeking services at regional offices," he added.

For those interested in investing in education, health services, or tourism, Ejercito noted that they will no longer need to take a ferry to Santander and endure a two to three-hour trip to Cebu City to conduct business.

"If it's easier and more convenient, it will definitely encourage more businesses to grow in both provinces."

According to Ejercito, the rationale for the creation of the region is to enable unified and coordinated island development planning, which will hopefully accelerate the economic transformation of Negros and Siquijor.

He also pointed out that the intention of the NIR Act is to improve the efficiency of government service delivery.

Moreover, Ejercito said that under the law, there will be a single police regional office and military command, as well as coordinated tourism development.

"Negrenses and Siquijodnons will no longer have to cross the seas to reach their respective regional offices for transactions and services."

"The creation of the region will make services more accessible and efficient."