Task Force Mapalad (TFM) Thursday urged Liberal Party (LP) presidential bet Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to promise that he would finish the distribution of land under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) if he wins.

TFM, a federation of farmers’ organizations nationwide, made the call as Aquino launched his sorties all over Negros Occidental on Wednesday.

At the rally, farmers belonging to TFM displayed a huge streamer calling for full CARP implementation and complete distribution of lands, especially in Negros Occidental, which has the biggest backlog of 150,000 hectares.

TFM president Jose Rodito Angeles said that aside from Aquino’s promise in his political ads not to steal and to stamp out corruption, the landless farmers want to hear him to make a commitment to fully implement CARP during the 5-year extension set by Republic Act 9700, or the CARP Extension with Reforms (CARPER) Act.

“So far, we have not heard from Senator Aquino or from any presidential candidate anything about CARP implementation. We want to hear from them what they plan to do about CARP,” said Angeles.

“This is very disappointing for the farmers because it indicates a lukewarm attitude to an issue that means everything to them,” he added.

Angeles said that despite the Hacienda Luisita issue hurled by a rival against Aquino, they tend to look favorably to the tandem of Aquino and Sen. Manuel Roxas II because they believe the two candidates to be clean.

So far, we have not known Aquino and Roxas to be corrupt, or to have been involved in any dubious monetary transactions,” he said.

He added, “in fairness, a few other presidential candidates are of good character and reputation and also deserve the people’s trust, but the farmers want a tandem that could provide them and this country a stable and effective leadership.”

A favorable disposition towards the Aquino-Roxas tandem does not necessarily mean secured vote.

“We want to hear more from Aquino and Roxas, since both of them are from big landowning families.

They should make a clear public stand on CARP,” said Angeles.