Sugarcane bill gets
House committee ok
Amendments on funding source made
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said his Sugarcane Industry Development Act bill was approved by the House Committee on Appropriations yesterday, and is expected to be passed by the House on third and final reading before the end of the month.

The bill was approved by the House Committee on Appropriations with amendments as to the sources of the funds intended for the development of the sugarcane industry, he said.

Last year, the bill had also been approved by the House committees on Ways and Means, and Appropriations, Benitez said.

Belgian student
dies in fall at LCC
BY ADRIAN NEMES III

A Belgian national, who was in Bacolod City as a foreign exchange student, allegedly jumped to his death from a building at the La Consolacion College main campus at about 5:30 p.m. yesterday.

Station 1 commander, Chief Insp. Danilo Francisco identified the fatality as Matthew Geurts, 18, and a temporary resident of Brgy. Bata.

Geurts, who was taking up Fine Arts, major in Digital Media, at LCC-Bacolod, is a scholar of the American Field Service Organization (AFS).

Bishop Vicente Navarra of the Diocese of Bacolod marked his 74th birthday yesterday with a simple celebration of the holy mass attended by a select group of well-wishers composed of priests, nuns, seminarians, diocesan offices staff, relatives and close friends.

Main celebrant during the birthday mass for Navarra was newly-installed Vicar General Louie Galbines, who said the bishop should count the years not by his age but by the number of friends that he has.

Thanking those who attended his simple celebration at the St. John Mariae Vianney Hall at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, Bishop Navarra said that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he will continue his mission in serving God.