NTA celebrates 33rd Anniversary

by Neyo E. Valdez

AGRICULTURE Secretary William D. Dar and NTA Administrator/CEO Robert Victor G. Seares Jr. led the 33rd Anniversary celebration of the National Tobacco Administration held at the Central Office in Quezon City on July 24.

Secretary Dar, who is also the Chairman of the NTA Governing Board, challenged the management of the agency to elevate productivity to make Filipino farmers competitive with their counterparts in other tobacco-producing countries.

He underscored the formulation of the Sustainable Tobacco Enhancement Program, a five-year industry development plan, which is needed to enhance the development of the Philippine tobacco sector.

“We have to use all available resources to accelerate the modernization and industrialization of the tobacco industry, and see to it that the tobacco farmers will have more income,” Secretary Dar said, stressing that the goal for “Masaganang Ani, at Mataas na Kita” applies to all agricultural commodities.

“I believe we will win over this pandemic if all of us will be one… Kung tayo po ay nagkakaisa, nagtutulong-tulong , at samasama, may pag-asa ang ating bayan, babangon ang ating ekonomiya, babangon ang sektor ng agrikultural at babangon ang mga magsasaka at mangingisda at bababangon din ang mga tobacco farmers,” he said.

The commemoration, which takes on the theme “Nagkakaisa tungo sa panibagong pag-asa,” embraced the new normal with a simple and short program, attended by members of the NTA Governing Board, other agency officials and staff wearing face masks and observing social distancing.

The event was highlighted by Administrator Seares paying tribute to his father, the late NTA Administrator Robert Lizardo Seares, in a video presentation, which also featured his father’s major accomplishments in the three years of his term cut short by his death on March 19.

In his message, Administrator Seares also expressed his gratitude to the men and women of the agency who have supported his father in his service to the tobacco growers and other stakeholders. He urged the employees to be resilient to survive the challenges ahead in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You are the true assets of this agency, and while we think highly of our tobacco farmers, this time let’s also talk about our tobacco employees of NTA,” Seares said.

He added that NTA draws its strength from the unity of the employees as one family—the NTA family. “And from there, let this resiliency and unity transcend to our Branch Offices, and eventually to our farmers,” he said. Nestor C. Casela and Danilo C. Trongco, both members of the NTA Governing Board, also stressed resiliency amidst challenges in their respective anniversary messages.

The Branch Offices also celebrated the 33rd anniversary of the agency through a synchronized tree planting activities in tobacco-growing areas in Regions 1 and 2, and Abra.

Check photos in this link: https://www.nta.da.gov.ph/nta-33rd-anniversary/

Photos: N.E. Valdez