Sugarcane Act passes
another House hurdle
BY CARLA GOMEZ

The House Committee on Appropriations approved the proposed Sugarcane Industry Development bill filed by Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3 rd District) yesterday.

Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6 th District) moved for the approval of the bill and was seconded by Rep. Jerry Treñas (Iloilo City), Benitez said.

Benitez said the bill had earlier been approved by the House Committee on Agriculture, and is targeted to be approved by the House Committee on Ways and Means in early May.

AT OMBUDSMAN
More cases vs. Leonardia junked
BY CARLA GOMEZ

About 10 persons had gone to Police Station 1 in Bacolod City, as of yesterday, to complain that they, too, were robbed by the two live-in partners, who were allegedly engaged in a Facebook “budol-budol” operation.

Supt. Leonardo Borromeo, Station 1 commander said yesterday that the complainants, positively identified Emee Rose Vicera, 25, of Brgy. Mandalagan in Bacolod and her partner Juralph Gayares, 28, of Pulupandan town in Negros Occidental, as the ones who stole their gadgets.

Some of the complainants had photos of Vicera and Gayares, to prove their complaints, Borromeo said.

Committee ok's
bid for INC holiday

House Bill 3649 filed by Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia that seeks to declare July 27, 2014 a special national Non-Working holiday to mark the centennial of the founding of the Iglesia ni Cristo, was approved by the Congressional Committee on Revision of Laws yesterday, a press release from his office said.

Leonardia's bill, that was backed by the Department of Labor and Employment, was singled out among six similar measures because it was limited only to this year's celebration, and does not seek to create an annual holiday.

In his sponsorship speech yesterday, Leonardia argued that, considering that there are sectors who frown on too many holidays, limiting the declaration to only this year, improves its chances of being approved quickly, in time for INC members and the rest of the country to enjoy this important date.