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By Jocelyn R. Uy, Norman Bordadora Philippine Daily Inquirer

Catholic Church leaders on Friday expressed confidence that President Benigno Aquino III would keep his word on the full implementation of agrarian reform, but vowed to remain vigilant to make sure that land distribution to farmers is completed by 2014 as promised.

Farmers across the country, however, expressed guarded optimism, hope and skepticism over the Presidents pronouncements assuring landless tillers of the land due them.

Land reform advocate Christian Monsod meanwhile said that aside from the promise of land, the farmers are also holding on to the Presidents commitment to support their transition from tenants to owner-cultivators of the land.

Monsod, the counsel for Task Force Mapalad who represented the farmers in the Malacaang dialogue with President Aquino on Thursday, said that the farmers expect the government to comply with the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program extension with reforms (Carper)s mandate that P150 billion be set aside for the implementation of land reform for five years.

Support services have suffered the most, as in the past, Monsod said in a text message to the Inquirer.

He added that it was significant that the President had committed part of the agriculture budget to farmer-beneficiaries to help their transition from tenants to owner-cultivators.

Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma said he believed that the Chief Executive would deliver on his promises to the farmers, especially now that a multisectoral monitoring body would be set up to ensure the full implementation of Carper.

There has been an instruction to form a monitoring body (and) we will closely follow this to see if President Aquinos promises would have results, Ledesma said over Church-run Radio Veritas on Friday.

The body would be composed of representatives from farmers groups, Church leaders, nongovernment organizations, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and other attached agencies involved in the implementation of Carper, said the prelate who was among the Church leaders present during the farmers dialogue with Mr. Aquino.

See more here:
Church upbeat Aquino will keep word; militant farmers wary