Tobacco traders have been strictly reminded not to buy tobacco leaves without licenses or registrations from the National Tobacco Administration and commit other violations of trading rules.
NTA Administrator/CEO Robert Victor G Seares Jr. gave the reminders during the virtual orientation and training seminar of the 2018 Revised Trading Rules and Regulations on Locally Grown Leaf Tobacco on March 10.
He said traders found guilty of doing so were subject to appropriate sanctions under the trading rules and regulations.
He added that personnel of the Branch Offices involved in the trading operations as well as the LGUs would be working together to closely monitor the trading operations in the provinces, and ensure proper documentation of tobacco acceptances or purchases and tobacco production. Said documents will be the basis in the computation of tobacco excise tax shares of the tobacco-growing provinces, pursuant to Republic Act (RA) Nos. 7171 and 8240, as amended by RA 10351.
“Dapat alam natin ang mga proseso sa paglalabas o pagbibigay ng mga lisensya at ang mga importanteng dokumento para maiwasan na maantala pagdating sa inspeksyon,” the Administrator said.
The annual orientation for NTA personnel, tobacco buying stations, wholesale tobacco dealers, redrying plant operators, and field canvassers is one of the major preparations for the tobacco trading.
This was presided by Regulation Department Manager Atty. Rohbert A. Ambros, who also discussed the legal basis of the mandate of the agency in the enforcement of the Tobacco Trading Rules and Regulations. Other resource persons and their topics were: Engr. Alex L. Borje, Chief of Tobacco Leaf Regulation Division on salient features and updates of the TRR and licensing procedures; Eleanor A. Rapanut, Chief of Tobacco Products Regulation Division, on system and procedure in the proper accomplishment and monitoring forms; and Primitivo M. Abalos Jr., Senior Tobacco Production and Regulation Officer, on violations in the trading activity and penalties.
In his message, Deputy Administrator for Operations Engr. Cesario G. Sambrana reiterated the reminders to the traders and personnel involved in trading operations to comply with all the requirements for proper documentation and precise reporting of the tobacco leaves.
The Regulation Department has issued licenses to 28 trading centers, Permit and Authority to Purchase to 14 wholesale tobacco dealers, Permit and Authority to Redry to three redrying plants, and Certificate of Authority to 219 field canvassers and “viajeros.”
[Text and Photos: Melanie Rapiz-Parel]