A photo of a woman farmer in Centro Sur, Alcala Cagayan steering a carabao pulling a cariton filled with Native tobacco leaves captured by Bryanne Marke William R. Simeon, Agriculturist I of NTA Cagayan, won First Prize in the 2022 National Women’s Month Photo Contest.
Simeon’s entry bested 52 other photographs entered by NTA employees and Job Order hires. All the entries captured images of women playing an important role in agriculture, particularly in the tobacco industry.
The contest is in line with the celebration of the National Women’s Month by the National Tobacco Administration, through the Gender and Development (GAD) Executive Committee with this year’s theme “Agenda ng Kababaihan, Tungo sa Kaunlaran.”
A photo of a woman farmer harvesting Batek tobacco in Parian Este, in Balaoan La Union by Mark Joseph R. Forges, TPRO I (Job Order) of NTA La Union, won Second Prize. Gay Ann B. Ronduen, Science Research Specialist I of the Farm Technology and Services Department, won Third Prize with her photo of a woman under the sun watering her tobacco plants in Barangay Parioc II in Candon City.
Seven finalists were given consolation prizes. They were Keithlyn Joy H. Madayag Research Assistant (JO) of NTA La Union;Jennelyn M. Valdez, Data Encoder (JO) of NTA La Union; Jaimes C. Rivera, Administrative Aide I (JO) of NTA La Union; Ann Margarett P. De Fiesta, Research Assistant (JO) of NTA Pangasinan; Jomar M. Casibang, TPRO I (JO) of NTA Cagayan; Joseph R. Ramos, Agriculturist I of NTA La Union; Christian T. Verceles, Research Assistant (JO) of NTA La Union.
Deputy Administrator for Support Services Benedicto M. Savellano headed the Board of Judges, with Regulation Manager Atty. Rohbert A. Ambros, Internal Audit Service Manager Dinah E. Pichay, Atty. Jun Fred V. Parado of the Legal Office, Neyo E. Valdez of the Public Relations unit, and Dinah E. Pichay of the Industrial Research Department, as members.
Valdez announced the winners during the Culminating Program of the National Women’s Month celebration of NTA on March 29.
Winning photographers received cash prizes: P5,000 for the first prize winner; P3,000 for the second prize; P2,000 for the third prize; and P1,000 each for the consolation prizes.
