Members of Task Force Mapalad from 330 organized haciendas in 19 municipalities in Negros Occidental are joining its nationwide Lakbayan campaign starting from Cadiz City and La Castellana town today, a press release from TFM said.

The groups from the north and south of Negros will converge in Bacolod City at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon on Wednesday to stage rally urging President Benigno Aquino III to complete and not to terminate the agrarian reform program, while its representatives in Manila will start their campaign on Friday.

TFM President Alberto Jayme said in a press statement sent to the DAILY STAR, that “Aquino should break his silence on agrarian reform and make a bold move for the completion of the program in view of the disheartening performance of the Department of Agrarian Reform under Sec. Gil delos Reyes.”

Jayme said that while Negros Occidental has the highest backlog at 135,199 hectares, DAR was able to distribute only 1,151 hectares or 5 percent of its 23,323 hectare-target in 2011, Davao Oriental with only 439 hectares or 32 percent were distributed out of the 1,389 hectare target, and in north and south Bukidnon, the DAR accomplishment rate was only 25 and 9 percent, respectively.

While the fast-tracking of land acquisition and distribution is the major demand of the farmers, they will also demand from the government the mandated provision of support services for CARP beneficiaries, he added.

The group also called on fellow farmers to join them in their campaign to pursue the mandates of CARPer.* LTG

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