NTA Administrator and CEO Belinda S. Sanchez inspected two income-generating facilities in Region 1 during her first official visit to the Branch Offices in the Region and Abra on December 13-14. This is to initially assess the operational statue of these facilities that were established to boost the country’s tobacco industry and to bring an additional source of livelihood for the tobacco farmers.
The facilities, the Tobacco Dust Processing Plant (TDPP) in Barangay Fernando, Sto. Tomas, La Union, and the NTA Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita in Barangay Nanguneg, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, are not fully operational.
The inspection at the dust processing plant gave Sanchez a view on the ongoing preparation of TDDP personnel for its reopening and resumption of operations. The agency is currently completing the rehabilitation of the facility after a fire inside the plant in 2018 damaged some equipment and stopped production.
TDPP is an NTA brand for the dust pure tobacco formulation. The product is used as a molluscicide to control snails and other predators, and as organic fertilizer to promote the growth of lablab, an organic food for fishes, in fishponds.
Administrator Sanchez next visited the food processing plant in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur. The NMIS AA-accredited facility a component of NTA’s invention program which includes a hog fattening project, poultry dressing, and the TESDA-accredited training school for slaughtering. The facility however was not fully operational due to the effect of Swine Flu in the region, affecting raw materials for processed meat products.
“It is important to facilitate the re-operationalization of the production facility of the TDPP and the NTA Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita to provide more jobs for the people and additional source of income for the tobacco farmers,” Administrator Sanchez said.
Top agency officials joined Administrator Sanchez in the ocular inspection of the agency facilities. They were Executive Assistant Benjamin V. Sarmiento, Acting Deputy Administrators Dinah E. Pichay (Support Services), and Giovanni B. Palabay (Operations), Department Managers Reynaldo R. Aquino (OIC-Internal Audit), Atty. Rohbert A. Ambros (Regulation), Myrna O. Lozano (Industrial Research), Fortuna C. Benosa (Corporate Planning), Milagros C. Tiu (OIC Finance), Zenaida T. Arrojo (Administrative), and Atty. Jun Fred V. Par and Minerva P. Mizal of the Office of the Administrator.
Nestor C. Casela, Jessie Pat M. Serna, Teofilo R. Quintal, and Danilo C. Trongco, all members of the NTA Governing Board, also joined Administrator Sanchez in the inspection.