The former governor of Negros Occidental, Alfredo Marañon Jr, passed away last October 1, 2020 at around 11:38 pm in the evening in the Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital. Marañon served the province for nine years since he was elected in 2010 until 2019.

In a statement released by his daughter, the deceased official passed away due to cardiac health complications and would have been 85 by this December. The governor’s body was brought to the Provincial Capitol on October 2, 2020 to be honored and offered prayers, with Governor Bong Lacson, the United Negros Alliance, and Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce & Industry offering their condolences.

Service in Public Office

Provincial Capitol flying flag at half-mast (Source: Bacolod City PIO)

During his first run in politics, he won number one councilor, became a member of Batasang Pambansa and served mayor of his hometown thrice–in 1972, 1988, and 1992. . Marañon also served as an assemblyman during the EDSA Revolution and congressman for Negros Occidental for three terms since 1995.

Environmentalists have ascribed him for helping establish the Sagay Marine Reserve in 1999 to protect marine life in Carbin and Maca reef, covering an area of 32,000 hectares and the largest marine reserve in the Philippines. Furthermore, Youth for Climate Hope stated that after the youth lead protests against a coal-fired power plant in San Carlos City, Marañon aided their cause in signing an executive order declaring Negros Occidental as “Coal-Free”, allowing only clean and renewable sources of energy in the province.

Marañon also advocated for the creation of the Negros Island Region, integrating the two provinces of Negros into one unified region, which was green-lit by Aquino in 2015, however, was dissolved by Duterte in 2010. The Negros First Comprehensive Health Insurance Program has also been accredited to Marañon, which gives free outpatient care to registered families and individuals in the province.