Tobacco farmers back GMA

NARVACAN, Ilocos Sur – Leaders of tobacco farmers groups have expressed disappointment over what they described as "politics of division" as they threw their "full" support to President Arroyo.

They were referring to the congressional investigations on the "jueteng" issue and the alleged wiretapped phone convention of the President.

Carlos Cachola, president of the Philippine Association of Tobacco-based Cooperatives (PATCO), and Sixto Garcia, president of Buklaran ng mga Magsasaka ng Tabako (BUMANAT) said their groups are behind Mrs. Arroyo.

They said that "under the leadership of President Arroyo," the tobacco farmers have profited much from their produce this season.

"We are grateful for the President’s earnestness in seeking out ways to increase our income with Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and Administrator Carlitos Encarnacion of the National Tobacco Administration behind her," they said.

Andy Reyes, a tobacco farmer-leader in Tarlac and vice president of PATCO, said Tarlac farmers are one in endorsing President Arroyo’s leadership in the face of the controversies confronting her.

"She is the only president I know who is genuinely promoting the welfare of the farmers," he said.

San Fabian, Pangasinan councilor Saturnino Distor asked for a stop to the investigations saying they are not serving the interests of the country well.

Distor, who is a burley tobacco farmer-leader and PATCO secretary-general, said the "politics of division does not speak well of our national leaders whose time should be better spent to helping find solutions to the nation’s problems."

He said Pangasinan farmers would not abandon President Arroyo, adding that she is doing a lot for them. – Teddy Molina