Negrense farmers declare support for Aquino

Hundreds of sugarcane farmers on Wednesday held a torch parade in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental to show their support for leading Presidential candidate Sen. Benigno S. "Noynoy" Aquino III.

Task Force Mapalad, a group of farmers and farm workers working for land reform, endorsed Aquino and running mate Sen. Mar Roxas, who visited Negros Occidental to interact with supporters in the cities of Bacolod, Victoria, San Carlos and Sagay.

The farmers who have made headlines for calling on First Gentleman Mike Arroyo to distribute his family's 157-hectare Hacienda Bacan in the province, set doves free, symbolizing their call for a clean and peaceful May polls.

A massive crowd of yellow-clad Negrenses received Aquino, who presented to the Negrenses his platform of good governance and freedom from the culture of corruption, the foremost cause of impunity and poverty in the country.

After the speech, the crowd applauded Aquino, chanting "Noynoy! Noynoy!" Many expressed their belief that the Aquino-Roxas tandem would bring about justice and opportunity for farmers and other citizens, which can only be achieved by a clean and compassionate government.

Aquino and Roxas both hold sizable leads over other presidential and vice-presidential candidates in the latest Manila Standard Today, Social Weather Stations, and Pulse Asia surveys.