Two Catholic bishops have pledged support to Negros farmers who started its lakbayan campaign Monday pressing President Benigno Aquino to hasten land distribution and to complete the mandated deadline of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms by 2014.

Task Force Mapalad assistant deputy coordinator, Lanie Factor, said Bishop Broderick Pabillo, national director of the National Secretariat for Social Action of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines confirmed that he will continue to mobilize support until the marchers reach Manila on Friday.

Bishop Vicente Navarra of Bacolod City, meanwhile, will officiate at a mass tomorrow at 7 a.m. at the San Sebastian Cathedral supporting the farmers cause. He called anew for the Christians to pray and give support to the farmers, Factor said.

Pabillo held a mass at 5 p.m. Saturday in front of the office of the Department of Agrarian Reform in Quezon City, she added.

In a press statement sent to the DAILY STAR, TFM Council of Leaders Chair Jose Rodito Angeles, said “the support of the Bishops and the priests where we have rested during the last two days are big boost, to their campaign for the completion and not termination of CARPER.

TFM-Negros members will also stage a rally in front of DAR provincial office today condemning its “inefficient performance” in implementing CARPer.

Factor also said they will give DAR the “Kalabasa Award” to dramatize their dismay from the 5 percent accomplishment rate in land acquisition and distribution in the province.*LTG

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