The National Tobacco Administration has more reason to celebrate its 32nd founding anniversary this year with its recertification under ISO 9001:2015, after an audit conducted by the international certification body Société Générale de Surveillance on July 24 to 26.

The agency, established on July 24, 1987, has to move its anniversary celebration on July 30 to make way for the recertification audit conducted in three sites: Industrial Research Department Quality Assurance Building in Panay Ave. in Quezon City, Central Office in Ben-Lor Building in Quezon Ave. also in Quezon City, and the Farm Technology and Services Department in Batac City.

During the closing meeting on the third day, SGS auditors Magdalena P. Balingit, Jean A. Jimenez, and Arnold P. Dizon granted the recertification after revealing that the agency got only five minor nonconformities and five opportunities for improvement. The proposed action to address the minor nonconformities will be submitted to SGS within five calendar days from the date of the release of the audit summary report.

With the ISO 9001:2015 recertification, the agency has established and maintained its management system in line with the requirements of the standard and demonstrated the ability of the system to systematically achieve agreed requirements for products and services within the scope and the organization's policy and objectives.

The latest version of ISO 9001:2015 incorporates risk management to enable organizations to identify and provide a systematic approach to risk for more efficient quality management system.

The agency, through Quality Management Representative and Corporate Planning Manager Fortuna C. Benosa, vows to maintain and sustain the quality standards in its Research and Development, Regulatory Services, and Technology Assistance, Extension and Production Services, as it enters its 32nd year of service to the tobacco growers and other industry stakeholders.