‘NegOcc will boost WV political clout’

ILOILO City – Negros Occidental’s return to Western Visayas will strengthen the region’s political clout, said Iloilo’s Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr.

When Negros Occidental was removed from Region 6 to become a separate region with Negros Oriental (the Negros Island Region), Western Visayas lost some political l everage, strength and influence, said the governor.

Negros Occidental is a vote-rich province. As of the 2015 census, its population was 2,497,261.

“We welcome Negros Occidental back to Region 6,” said Defensor.

Negros Occidental has six congressional districts plus the lone district of Bacolod City, for a total of seven

as toa congressmen in the House of Representatives.

In the 2016 elections, Negros Occidental delivered the votes to Liberal Party presidential candidate Mar Roxas and vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo. But while Robredo won, Roxas lost to now President Rodrigo Duterte.

Just this Aug. 7, Duterte dissolved the Negros Island Region, explaining that funds needed to set up new regional offices of government agencies were straining the budgets needed to f und priority programs of the government.

The region was created on May 29, 2015 via an executive order issued by then President