Deliberations on the proposed Sugarcane Act at the House of Representatives has been slowed down by the change in the Committee on Appropriations’ chairmanship, following the designation of Rep. Emilio Joseph Abaya as secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communication, its author, Rep. Alfredo Benitez said.

The proposed Sugarcane Act is among the proposals of Benitez in his State of the District Report, that also includes proposed bills for a Magna Carta for barangay health workers, institutionalizing the implementation of the cyber education program, and a Palarong Pambansa Revitalization Act.

Benitez said House Bill 6113, or the Sugarcane Industry Development Act of 2012, is now at the Appropriations Committee level, which is now chaired by Negros Oriental Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong, after it was passed on first reading and approved by the House Committee on Agriculture and Food.

HB 6113 is geared towards revitalizing and strengthening the sugarcane industry through diversification, development and financing programs to cushion, if not counter, the possible destabilization effects of the tariff lifting on imported sugar entering the Philippines by 2015.

After its approval by the Committee on Appropriations, it will go to plenary for passage, before its transmission to the Senate.

Benitez said Senator Francis Escudero has already filed the same version of the bill in the Senate.

The State of the District Report also bares House bills and resolutions of Benitez such as the conversion of Silay-Patag road into a national road for appropriations of funds, establishing separate City Schools Division Offices in Talisay and Silay, and an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the cause of high prices of fuel products in Negros Occidental.

In his report, Benitez, also said the third district has consistently implemented the highest enrollment to the Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Program and the highest availment of services in government hospitals with a total of 33,962 recipients as of September this year.

The Betty Bantug Benitez Foundation, assisted by various civic clubs and local government units, also served to more than 25,000 people in the district in year-round free medical and dental clinics, the report said.

Benitez also reported that about 8,000 youths availed of educational assistance for college education from his congressional fund.*GPB

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