MANILA - A group of local government officials, led by Governors Ed Panlilio and Grace Padaca, on Friday declared their support for the possible presidential bid of Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.

"Ibinibigay namin ang aming buong suporta at pagtitiwala kay Senador Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III bilang kandidato sa pagkapangulo ng ating bansa (We are throwing our support and faith to Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III as candidate for president of our country)," Panlilio said, reading a statement of their group, Kaya Natin Movement, in Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan.

It was the same place where Sen. Mar Roxas declared his withdrawal from the 2010 presidential race and endorsed Aquino's possible presidential bid.

Panlilio also appealed to all candidates pushing for a reform agenda to join the Liberal Party and their group in endorsing Aquino.

"Kami po ay umaapela sa ibang grupo at kandidatong nagtataguyod ng reform agenda na makiisa na rin sa aming panawagan (We are appealing to other groups and candidates pushing for a reform agenda to join us)," the priest-turned-politician said, adding that they cannot ensure Aquino's win in 2010 without unity among all "reformists."

Padaca, who is being urged to join the vice-presidential race, said she supported the group's call to back Noynoy but was unable to join the press conference since she was sick.

"After what Sen. Mar Roxas has done, we could do no less. This is what we started out to do anyway in Kaya Natin, to be able to give an alternative to our people," she told ANC.

Padaca said that among all the possible presidential candidates so far, Aquino "has the capacity to unite everyone." She added though that Aquino will need help from every sector.

"I think we have come to a point in our history that it is not just one person who can bring about change in the country. Ang mabuti marami nang iba. Isa ito sa dapat ipagpapasalamat sa ating history, sa ating kinalalagyan. Marami na, pag-isahin na lang natin ito," she said.

Padaca said that even before Roxas' announcement, she and Panlilio had discussed the possibility of backing Noynoy's presidential bid. She said she held off making her own decision until after Roxas and Aquino had finished talking.

"I didn't want to preempt the decision of our leaders," she said.

Calls for Aquino's presidential bid started after the death of his mother, Cory Aquino, last August 1.

Aquino is currently on a spiritual retreat to “pray for discernment and divine guidance” before deciding on whether or not he would run for president in 2010.

Bolting Lakas party

Mayor Florante Gerdan of Sta. Fe town, Nueva Viscaya announced during the press conference that he is bolting Lakas party to support Aquino's bid for the presidency.

"Sa araw na ito ako po ay tumataya. Ako ay  umaalis sa aking partido Lakas para suportahan ang atin pong mahal na Senador Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino (This day, I am placing my bet. I am bolting Lakas party to support Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino)," Gerdan declared.

The mayor said he chose to leave his party because he knows Aquino can unite Filipinos and bring reforms that are badly needed for the country's recovery.

Gerdan said he was a former military officer and he entered politics after witnessing the situation of poor Filipinos in provinces. He entered politics with a vision to implement changes in governance, but this has been hampered by bad governance for the past 6 years.

Mayor Sonia Lorenzo of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija, one of the core group members of Kaya Natin, assured that her constituency will support Aquino all the way to the presidency.