Vice Governor Isidro Zayco will take his oath as governor and Board Member Emilio Yulo III as vice governor of Negros Occidental at the provincial Capitol in Bacolod City 8:30 a.m. today.

Jose Ma. Valencia, Gov. Joseph Marañon’s chief of staff, said he advised Zayco to immediately take his oath to avoid a vacuum in the leadership of the provincial government.

“You cannot have an acting governor when there is no more governor,” Valencia said.

Marañon, from his sickbed on Jan. 24, said Negros Occidental is in good hands and that he was very happy with the way Zayco was running the provincial government.

Zayco, who rushed to the house of Marañon on hearing the news of his death, said he condoles with the family of the governor, adding that his death is a great loss to the province.

“I have a great respect for the governor, he worked hard for Negros Occidental and had many achievements,” Zayco said.

“We will continue the programs he had started for the people of Negros Occidental,” he said.

Rep. Jose Carlos Lacson (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said “in his death, I thought it would not be that sad because you saw it coming but when it did happen, I could not but just feel very sad.”

Lacson said his message to the governor is “If you leave something wonderful with those who come to your life, they will find it hard to erase you from their hearts.”

Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr. (Neg. Occ., 5th District) said “at 6:40 p.m. Negros Occidental lost a great leader, a good friend, and father to the province. He will remain in our hearts forever. He served the province with love, dedication and devotion. He will surely be missed. We are all saddened by his loss. May his family find comfort in the thought that he is now in heaven.”

Rep. Monico Puentevella (Bacolod) said Marañon was a good governor, “We thank him for all the good things he did for our beloved province. Let’s all pray for the repose of his soul.”

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said, “In my official and personal capacity, I join the whole province in mourning the passing away of a great leader. Gov. Joseph has vastly contributed to the growth and progress of Negros Occidental as provincial governor, mayor of Sagay and even as a natural leader in the various private endeavors he embarked in. He is definitely a big loss to all of us.

“But we know that his legacy is a structured bureaucracy that ensures a better future because his contributions are concrete and lasting. With my wife, Elsa, and the people of Bacolod, we salute our governor and our maninoy. As he joined his Creator, he also joined the roster of great Negrenses in the great beyond.”

Senator Mar Roxas last night said he was deeply saddened by the untimely death of Marañon.

“His enduring public service for 16 years – nine years as Mayor of Sagay City and nine years as Governor – will surely be remembered by the people of Negros Occidental. I shall pay my last respects to him, as I will be in Bacolod on Sunday. My utmost prayers to him, Tita Aida, his children and to manong Freddie, manang Sonia and their families,” Roxas said.

Board Member Patrick Lacson said “we just lost a great man, may he inspire us to become the best of ourselves.”

Former Board Member Francis Gerard Tuvilla said “Gov. Marañon was the epitome of a leader with a heart for the poor. He was a father to all of us.”

Regional Director Ricardo Tan of the LTO-National Capital Region said, “Negros has lost a great leader whose contribution in the development of the province could hardly be replicated. The people whom he served are the living testament of his brand of leadership.”*CPG

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