BY ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
SPEAKING of Sagay City in northern Negros Occidental, the first thing that will come into your mind are the Marañon brothers – the late governors Joseph or “319” and Alfredo Jr. or “02”.
The blessing and inauguration of Sagay’s P156-million “classy and glassy” public bus terminal on June 11 once again led Negrenses to remember these two beloved and outstanding governors.
Also, such a stunning and modern bus terminal– perhaps one of its kind in the entire country –reminds the public of the distinct Marañon brand of public service.
Yes, for almost six decades and counting, the Marañons continue to politically thrive not just in Sagay but in the province as well.
Simple to understand: people like and love what they’re doing!
Sagay’s incumbent Mayor Alfredo “Thirdy” Marañon III, Vice Mayor Narciso “Narwin” Javelosa and 2nd District congressman Leo Rafael “Bebo” Marañon Cueva are currently doing their best not to put 02’s and 319’s legacies in vain.
Thirdy is 02’s son while Bebo is his first cousin. Narwin, on the other hand, is one of the Marañons’ political die-hards.
Running unopposed in the just-concluded May 9 elections, the three have had interchanged positions – Thirdy as congressman, Narwin as mayor and Bebo as vice mayor. Amidst changes in positions, their mantra remains: keep up the Marañons’ distinct brand of public service.
‘STUPENDOUS AND CONTAGIOUS’
Since the 1960s, the Marañons’ “greatness” in the field of public service remains “stupendous and contagious”. The “ever-charismatic” 319 (when governor in 2001-2008) was cherished by the Negrenses when he decided to return the seat of the provincial government at the old capitol.
Built sometime in 1926, Negros Occidental’s old capitol symbolized the province’s status as one of the “wealthiest” in the country during the sugar boom. But when it became old and dilapidated, 319’s predecessors opted to abandon such, and then moved to the adjacent new Provincial Administration Center (PAC).
Then, a portion of the old Capitol was converted into a museum, and the rest were lent to several national government agencies.
But when 319 assumed the governorship in 2001, first thing first, he ordered the renovation of the old capitol, and decided to put back the seat of the provincial government there. It was an enormous move that made 319 so famous to the “super majority” of the Negrenses.
But he was more than cheered when he built the Teresita Lopez-Jalandoni Memorial Provincial Hospital (TLJMPH) in Silay City. TLJMPH is now one of the biggest public hospitals outside of Bacolod and caters patients from all over the province.
His decision to revive the Mambukal Mountain Resort (MMR) in Murcia town into one of the prime tourist destinations in the Visayas also earned lots of praises.
His “Back to Basics” political slogan, likewise, endeared him to many. It centered on agriculture-slash-food security, education, infrastructure, housing, environmental conservation, investment and tourism.
‘INDELIBLE MARKS’
On the other hand, 02 is best remembered (as governor from 2010-2019) for his formidable legacy – the Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Insurance Program (NOCHIP).
The controversial Negros Island Region (NIR) was also born during his incumbency, but when President Rodrigo Duterte assumed the presidency in 2016, the latter “killed” NIR for unspecified reason(s) ‘till now.
Furthermore, 02’s passionate love for the environment also led him to declare Negros Occidental as one among those “coal-free” provinces in the country.
When he was mayor of Sagay (starting in 1972 to 2010), he also established 32,000 hectares of the Visayan Sea as Sagay Marine Reserve (SMR). It’s no ordinary exploit, but it really copped lots of local, national and international accolades for Sagay.
With that, too, 02 was labeled as one of the “toughest ecological vanguards” in the Visayas.
In sum, both 02’s and 319’s “indelible marks” in public service stay “inimitable” even until now.
REMARKABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Thus, in their inaugural speeches during their oathtaking (also on June 11), both Thirdy and Bebo enumerated some of their respective remarkable accomplishments.
As mayor of Sagay for nine years, Thirdy said he wants to imprint in the hearts and minds of Sagaynons some of his notable endeavors meant to better their lives.
Aside from their classy and glassy bus terminal, which is now a “head-turner”in Negros, Thirdy said among his triumphs included the following:
* Establishment of Sagay eco-zone (SEZ)
* Construction of a feeder port
* Re-establishment of the Alfredo E. Marañon Sr.Memorial District Hospital (AEMSMDH).
Bared by the outgoing mayor, Sagay’s 25-hectare SEZ located in Barangay Paraiso is now ready to take in locators who wish to invest in agriculture, food processing, and manufacturing and light industries.
Potential investors in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector are also welcome there, Thirdy said.
He said their foreign-funded feeder port will serve as a point of transshipment of containerized cargoes and passengers to the northern port of Cebu (Municipality of Tabuelan) and Estancia in Panay. Too, it’ll be an easy point for transshipment of sugar from their three sugar mills in Sagay.
AEMSMDH, meanwhile, is now equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, and is operated and maintained by highly-specialized medical personnel.
For Bebo, for the past nine years as legislators, one of his legislative milestones was the conversion of Northern Negros State College of Science and Technology (NONESCOST) in Sagay into a university status.
Also, he authored 275 bills and co-authored 527 others during the 13th to 18th Congress.
On top of infrastructure developments, he also established the CaSaMa (Cadiz, Sagay and Manapla) Development Alliance.
Such promotes synergy among these three localities towards sustainable developments in the 2nd District, he added.
Meanwhile, Narwin vowed to make Sagay’s future under his leadership as the soon-to-be mayor as “bright as their faith”.
LOVE FOR OTHERS
Nonetheless, it’s quite “touching” to hear Thirdy define public service always with humane consideration. Quoting American business leader Harvey Firestone, Thirdy stressed, “The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.”
For Bebo, “In public service, it is neither your influence nor affluence that will bring forth meaningful change in your constituents, but compassion and love.”
Likewise, he enunciated that politics ain’t a calling or an inherent gift, but LOVE FOR OTHERS is.
“Without it, we are in the wrong path.” Nicest to note such political insights coming from the trio.
But Thirdy, Bebo and Narwin are, perhaps, the best examples that constitute a political dynasty. But the good thing is they never allowed themselves to be swallowed by the negative connotations about political dynasty.
Rather, they simply took the “vantage point” in their quest to continue the legacies of their elders – 02 and 319 – in creating “milestones with the heart” in public service.
Though the word “continuity” is quite a challenge for them,with “valuable deeds” of their elders, serving as their potent guides, they never go wrong yet. Instead, they really uphold people’s expectation for them to be remnants of “goodness” still./PN
