Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon yesterday said he will ask President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for assistance for the new provincial hospital being built in Silay City and for the building of a 4,000-seater convention center behind the Capitol in Bacolod City.

The President is scheduled to arrive in Bacolod City Friday to be the keynote speaker at the opening of a Vice Mayors' League of the Philippines national convention at the Convention Plaza Hotel.

Marañon said he will invite the President to the opening of the new hospital in Silay in July or August. We need an ambulance for the new hospital and I will ask her is she can help, he said.

The governor also said he will ask the president for help in the building of a P250 million convention center in Bacolod City.

If the six congressmen of Negros Occidental can contribute P5 million each, and the city governments in the province put in P2 million each we can raise P50 million, the governor said.

With P100 million from the provincial government and P100 million more from the national government we could start building the convention center this year, Marañon said. Marañon said while the President is coming to speak at the VMLP convention, she would be very welcome to visit the ongoing Panaad sa Negros Festival at Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod.

Expected to arrive with the President are Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno, Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor and Presidential Adviser for Western Visayas Rafael Coscolluela, Bacolod Vice Mayor Renecito Novero said yesterday.

Novero, VMLP Negros president and VLMP vice president for Visayas, is this year's national convention chairman.

JAPANESE ENVOY

On Saturday among the speakers at the VLMP convention is Japanese Ambassador Ryuichiro Yamazaki and DILG Undersecretary Wencelito Andanar, Novero said.

The Japanese ambassador will also be the guest at the formal opening of the Ishiwata Bathhouse in Mambukal Saturday and the celebration of the 50 year Japanese-Philippine friendship, Marañon said.

The envoy will also be a judge at the Lin-ay sang Negros pageant at the Panaad Stadium Saturday night.*CPG

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