Senate expresses sympathy to family of Negros Occidental governor

The Senate today adopted a resolution expressing its profound sympathy and sincere condolences to the family of environmentalist and former Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. who passed away last Oct 1, 2020 due to cardiac complications. He was 84 years old.

Majority Leader Migz Zubiri, who introduced Senate Resolution No. 544, said Marañon catapulted Negros Occidental as a food sufficient agricultural province through his Negros First! campaign and created many opportunities for his constituents.

Marañon was an enthusiast of organic agriculture and encouraged farmers to grow their crops the natural way. During his term, as much as 15,000 hectares of land were turned into organic farms with around 12, 920 farmers working on it.

"He championed the cause of the environment. In March 2019, Marañon declared Negros Occidental as coal-free as he prohibited the entry of coal-fired power plants in the province," Zubiri said. He said Marañon also signed an Executive Order declaring that only clean and renewable sources of energy would be allowed in the province.

As an environmentalist, Zubiri said Marañon established the 32,000 hectare Sagay Marine Reserve in the 1970s and made Negros Occidental a major ecotourism spot in the country.

He said the marine reserve is composed of Carbine Reef, Macahulom and Panal Reef, as well as Molocaboc Daku and Diot islands and the Suyac islet. Tourist visit the area for its sand beaches, various fishes, seas turtles, migratory birds, coral formations and other marine wonders as well as the centuries-old mangrove trees.

Born on December 21, 1935, Marañon was a farmer and an engineer. He began his career as a public servant by being a councilor of Sagay in 1964 and later served as vice mayor. He was eventually elected as mayor of the city in 1972 before he went on to become an assemblyman of the Batasan Pambansa.

In 1988, Marañon was again elected mayor and in 1992 as vice governor of the province. He ran for a congressional seat in 1995, where he served for three consecutive terms. Marañon served as Negros Occidental governor from 2010 to 2019.

"His passing is a great loss not only to his bereaved family and the Negrenses but to the entire Filipino nation as well," Zubiri said.