Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon, 73, was responding to treatment at the Riverside Medical Center in Bacolod City yesterday and his wife, Aida, and family are very happy and grateful for the prayers and concern of the public for him, his chief of staff Jose Ma. Valencia said.

“Mrs. Marañon and the members of the governor's family would like to express their profound gratitude for the overwhelming concern and prayers that the public has shown,” Valencia said.

Numerous concerned groups and individuals have been praying for the governor's recovery.

Marañon, who had gone on leave last week to rest on advice of his doctors, was brought to the hospital on Monday for treatment.

A source said he was suffering from a fever caused by an infection and underwent dialysis that night.

Valencia said the governor had been complaining about certain discomfort and his doctors who were called to his residence decided to have him x-rayed to determine the causes.

I was informed he responded to their treatment, in fact, he was able to sleep soundly, Valencia said.

Yesterday the governor was better and already complaining about the airconditioning in his room, Valencia said, contrary to the text messages circulating that he had died.

Another reason the doctors decided to have the governor confined at the hospital is to enforce a no-visitors rule, Valencia said.

Although advised against having visitors while resting at his residence, the governor would always welcome whoever would come to visit him so the doctors decided to confine him at the hospital to strictly enforce the no-visitors-allowed order, Valencia said.

A source said a few close allies of the governor briefly met with him yesterday and he appeared to still have his sense of humor.

But the same source said a visibly touched Vice Gov. Isidro Zayco was seen in tears as he left the room after Marañon reportedly told him that he did not make a mistake in choosing him as his running mate.

But when asked what he and the governor discussed, the vice governor would only say that he had informed Marañon of the outpouring of concern and prayers of the public for him.

The governor was also reportedly visited by Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra Monday night.*CPG

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