Albee tapping Senate
for okay of Sugar Act
BY CARLA GOMEZ

MAKATI CITY – Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said he is pushing for the passage of a Philippine Sugar Act by next year, to enable the country’s sugar industry to survive economic liberalization before it is too late.

Benitez Friday night  said Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Francis Escudero have expressed willingness to support a counterpart measure in the Senate, and he is also set to discuss the matter with Senator Francis Pangilinan, Senate Committee on Agriculture chairman.

He will also rally congressmen from all of the sugar producing districts of the country to help  expedite the passage of the bill in the House because time is running out, Benitez stressed.

The MassKara season is on!

The Bacolod public plaza has turned into a virtual MassKara park with the lighting up of the bandstand and the 19 giant mask-lanterns during the opening of the 32nd MassKara Festival Saturday.

The celebration is expected to increase tourist influx to Bacolod throughout the 19-day festival.

Acting Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, in his message during the opening ceremonies at the public plaza Saturday, said the MassKara Festival has evolved from a simple dance parade to what it is now – world-class.

BRGY. CANLUSONG, EB Magalona – The proposed re-establishment of a military outpost in this hinterland barangay, where a spate of killings had taken place recently, got overwhelming support from barangay officials and residents, who admitted yesterday to be alarmed by the series of murder incidents in recent weeks.

This remote barangay, which is about 35 kilometers away from the town proper, was also reported by Army soldiers stationed in nearby Brgy. San Isidro, as one of the “rest-and-recreation areas” of the New People’s Army in northern Negros.

Canlusong Brgy. Capt. Merriam Porras said yesterday that the re-establishment of a military outpost in the barangay, will address the security concerns raised by her constituents, during a dialog with Mayor David Albert Lacson, who came with military, police and municipal officials.