House lobby for NFR on
Thursday, July 5, 2018
BY CARLA P. GOMEZ
Negros Occidental Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday said he is optimistic the proposed creation of the Negrosanon Federated Region contained in the Consultative Committee’s draft Federal Constitution will be retained when President Rodrigo Duterte sends it to Congress for review.
Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) yesterday said he has already began spearheading a campaign among his colleagues in Congress, which includes the Visayan bloc, to support the creation of the NFR.
The 22-member ConCom Tuesday voted to unanimously approve the draft Federal Constitution, which includes the NFR composed of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor, among the 18 proposed federated regions.
Lacson noted that Benitez had said earlier that Duterte assured that he will not oppose the creation of the NFR.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said that after receiving a copy of the draft Federal Constitution, Duterte will transmit the proposal to Congress to study it very closely and if possible to pattern the proposed revisions after what the ConCom has recommended.
ConCom member Arthur Aguilar had spearheaded the push for the inclusion of the NFR among the federated regions during the committee’s deliberations.
Aquilar, who is from Negros Occidental, in his speech after the approval of the draft Constitution by the ConCom, thanked the members of the committee for including the NFR “in behalf of the 4.6 million Negrosanons and Siquijornons.”*CPG