All board members attended the second regular session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental yesterday and were noted to be in a jovial mood while deliberating on proposed ordinances and resolutions.

The proposals include the creation of the one-island Negros region.

Vice Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, who presided over the session, said it went well, with referrals mostly made to the various committees.

Other matters were also taken up, and Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. was granted authority to sign a memorandum of agreement between the Department of Agriculture and the provincial government on the construction and rehabilitation of various small-scale irrigation projects worth P24 million and with P2.4 million as counterpart fund of the province, he added.

Majority of the board members and Vice Gov. Lacson are affiliated with the Love Negros team.

Lacson said what was being requested was reasonable and the SP was just willing to pass the necessary resolutions or ordinances.

Board Member Salvador Escalante, a member of the minority bloc, said their regular session ended with everybody seeming to be happy, citing the eagerness of a board member who sponsored a resolution granting Gov. Marañon authority to sign a MOA with DA, although they were at the stage of reading the communications that should be taken up during the deliberations on other matters.

“For me, that is a good sign,” said Escalante, who had retained the chairmanship of the powerful Finance committee, although he belongs to the minority bloc.

The proposed resolutions supporting the creation of one-island Negros region and the request for the Negros Occidental solons to sponsor a House bill creating Negros island as one region, authored by Board Member Renato Malabor, have been referred to the Committee of Laws.

Malabor said that if the Committee on Laws recommends it for second reading, it will be deliberated on the SP in the next session.*GPB

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