BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – Sitting Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez has high hopes over the return of the Negros Island Region as he is set to join President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and other officials tomorrow in Malacanang for the ceremonial signing of bills that include the House measures creating the NIR.
As this developed, the new highway arc that was started under the first three-year term of outgoing Lone District Representative Greg Gasataya is seen to be initiallybopened by the end of June, this year to motorists.
Built at a cost of P7.389 billion, the close to 50-kilometer highway stretches from the Bacolod South Road that starts from the national highway along Sum-ag village to the Bacolod North Road that leads out to the national highway in Victorias City.
DPWH-Western Visayas Regional Director Sanny Boy Oropel said they will open portions of the BANOCEH “by June 30 or maybe by the first week of July”.
“The section from Bacolod City going to Bacolod-Silay Airport, passing through the Bacolod-Silay Airport Access Road junction, will help all travelers by June 30. We are now on our scheduled target to have a soft opening,” State news agency PNA quoted Region 6 director Sanny Boy Oropel ofctge Department of Public Works and Highways was quoted as sating during a regional public briefing.
The report added Oropel said that the new economic highway is “set to transform regional connectivity by reducing travel time from Bacolod City to Bacolod-Silay Airport by 25 minutes, down from the current one hour” and is “expected to benefit an average of 20,000 travelers daily”.
“They can enjoy a better experience of travel with complete amenities of bicycle lane, including a service road, and the vegetation and landscaping program we are introducing. “
On the other hand, Benitez was quoted in a statement from his spokesman, Lawyer Caesar Distrito as having said that he is
” thanking the President that the long awaited creation of the Negros Island Region composed of Occidental and Oriental Negros, with the province of Siquijor will now become a reality, with the approval of the NIR Bill by President BBM. He is also thanking all the Congressmen & Senators who lend their full and unequivocal support in the creation of NIR bill.”
“Mayor Albee is excited that NIR, being a separate region, will soon create a lot of benefits to the people of this 3-province region. More Infrastructure & development projects, create more growth areas, opening of more govt positions that will give opportunities to our local govt workers, reduce bureaucratic processes as we will have our own regional offices here in Negros, are just some of the benefits that the NIR will bring,” the statement added.
