BAYAN Muna party-list Representative Satur Ocampo said Wednesday that the Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan (Makabayan) will only support a presidential candidate from the opposition.

Ocampo, together with Representative Liza Maza of Gabriela, said they have had talks with Senator Manny Villar where they discussed various issues and concerns.

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Ocampo, however, said there is no agreement as yet on whether the coalition will support Villar.

Villar is reported to be eying the two party-list representatives as part of the Nacionalista Party's Senate slate.

Ocampo said they may also be fielding candidates for local positions.

"But right now, wala pang final agreement as who among the opposition presidential candidates ang susuportahan namin," Maza said during a press conference held Wednesday at the Bulua Gymnasium.

Militant party-list groups under the Makabayan coalition aims to field two to three senatorial candidates and increase their seats in the House of Representatives.

The group presently has eight party-list representatives.

Maza said the coalition is banking on the solid support of its members and allies to deliver the votes which they estimate to reach around three million based on the total votes garnered by the party-list groups in the 2007 elections.

For his part, Ocampo said Makabayan will only support a presidential candidate who will pursue Makabayan's electoral agenda.

"Our objective is a change (in the manner by which this country is governed) through Makabayan," Ocampo said.

Ocampo and Maza led some 2,000 men, women and their children in a Wednesday's gathering for the launching of Makabayan Northern Mindanao Region held at the Bulua gym.

Makabayan is a coalition of national, sectoral and local progressive party-list groups, organizations, and individuals advocating for the politics of change.

Kristin Lim, Makabayan-NMR spokesperson, said as a political force, the progressive parties in the coalition have proven in the past three elections its consistency in pushing for significant economic and political reforms within the halls of Congress.

Lim said many within the coalition's ranks have experienced political repression even as they continue to advance the people's programs.

"The people's struggle for change will persevere amid this environment of violence and injustice," Lim said. (ALR)