Honorary Consul John Rivas of the Philippine Consulate in the Northern Territory of Australia yesterday said he is promoting Negros Occidental as a place of retirement among Australian elderly citizens, citing its friendly atmosphere and low cost of living standards .

Rivas, a Negrense who has been living in Australia for more than four decades, said Negros Occidental has excellent medical facilities, a friendly populace, while the cost of living is very, very cheap.

Unlike other areas of the country, Rivas said he is s banking on the assurance of Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. that the province is safe for foreigners.

“Starting this year, we hope that we will see many white faces in the province,” Rivas, a second cousin of Msgr. Victorino Rivas, said.

While he is not expecting a shipload, plane load or bus load of Australian retirees to flock into Negros Occidental immediately, Rivas said “It all depends on how good the promotion is”.

Marañon said the province has a lot to offer to foreigners, who may want to spend their retirement years in Negros Occidental, citing its peaceful and serene atmosphere, pleasant weather and scenic spots, among others.

The first official diplomatic mission of the Philippine Consulate of the Australian Northern Territory headed by Rivas in Negros Occidental, aims to provide employment opportunities for Negrenses, and help in the promotion and tourism and investment potentials of the province.

Rivas said he wants the province to become a site for investment. “ I don’t see any reason why we can’t make Negros a business park,” he added, citing its cheap labor.

He also said that he will make representations with a private company, which is hiring 2,000 skilled workers to work in a gas refinery plant in the Northern Territory of Australia, to recruit workers from Negros Occidental.

Marañon said many Negrense skilled workers who had worked in Japan for more than three years, are now being employed in Australia. * GPB

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