Starting yesterday, and until today, Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon has resumed the governorship so he can sign the appointment papers of 224 contractual employees, an authority that cannot be delegated to an acting governor, his chief of staff Jose Ma. Valencia said.

The governor was transferred on Sunday night from the intensive care unit of the Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital in Bacolod City where he has been confined since Jan. 14 to a private room where he is signing the papers, Valencia said.

But the no-visitors order of his doctors is still in force, Valencia stressed.

Valencia said the renewal of the appointments of contractual employees is done at the start of every year and the governor was unable to complete the signing of their papers before he got sick.

The appointment papers are mostly those of contractual employees in provincial government-run hospitals, as well as those working in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Mambukal Resort in Murcia , and teachers paid by the provincial government, Valencia said.

The contacts of the contractual employees will be retroactive to Jan. 1, Valencia added.

Valencia said the governor yesterday asked him for an update on the various programs he wants done for the province.

“That's why we called a meeting of all department and office heads to come up with progress reports for the governor's information,” Valencia said.

The governor will reappoint Vice Governor Isidro Zayco acting governor tomorrow, so he can extend his leave until Friday, Valencia said.

If everything is all right within the week, probably the governor will be allowed to go home by the weekend and, hopefully, reassume the governorship by Monday so he can act on urgent matters needing his approval and signature, Valencia said.

Marañon's resumption of the governorship next week, however, will not necessarily mean his physical presence in the Capitol, Valencia said.*CPG

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