Past to the Present Administrator

The development of the tobacco industry towards its meaningful growth did not happen by chance. It is through the deliberate, purposive and incessant efforts by the pioneers that nurtured the industry to be so. The herculean task rests on the shoulder of the Chief Executive of the Agency that is mandated to steer such development, the NTA Administrators. For the past 33 years of NTA, 11 Administrators have demonstrated how amply and ably they have contributed to the string of successes the Agency achieved in the pursuit of its mandate:

Mariano Un Ocampo III (25 March 1986 to 30 November 1987) initiated the merger of all the tobacco agencies and continued the Tobacco Contract Growing Project (TCGP) of the PVTA; acquisition of NTA central office building.

Alonzo Q. Ancheta (3 December 1987 to 8 March 1990) implemented the consolidation /merger of seven tobacco agencies into one, the NTA, pursuant to EO 245; and initiated the NTA-Land Bank-financed Special Credit Assistance Program for Tobacco Growers (SCAPTG).

Edilberto V. Cariaso (1 April 1990 to 7 December 1992) continued the Full Flavor Virginia tobacco program with Fortune Tobacco Corporation; expanded/doubled the TCGP coverage; introduced the nitrate based fertilizer for tobacco; and initiated the backyard energy farm/reforestation project.

Joaquin T. Ortega (8 December 1992 to 15 January 1995) introduced the commercialization and use of coal briquettes as fuel for tobacco curing and nitrate-based fertilizer; and declared policy to adopt/initiated the implementation of the Total Tobacco Contract Growing Project (TCGP).

Amante E. Siapno (16 January 1995 to 15 March 1998) introduced the Improved Flavor Virginia and burley tobacco production project; and expansion of burley and native tobacco production in the Visayas and Mindanao; introduced the Integrated Tobacco Based Farming Systems (ITBFS) and the Project Assistance for Uncovered Traditional Tobacco Growing Areas (PATTGAS), under the DA-Key Commercial Crops Development Program (KCCDP); and initiated the NTA Housing Project.

Antonio M. de Guzman (16 July 1998 to 29 February 2001) resuscitated the Agency from its crucial organizational and financial situation, pioneered the Full Flavor Virginia tobacco program, implemented the streamlining/restructuring of the Agency pursuant to EO 29 as amended by EO 36, and introduced three development programs, namely: Total Market Development Through Responsive Research, Quality Production, Fair and Equitable Trading and Efficient Delivery of Services; and Total Farmer-Total Farming-Total Technician Development Program.

Carlitos S. Encarnacion (1 March 2001 to 18 June 2003) refocused Agency thrusts to strategically align with the present Administration’s major goal to modernize agriculture and achieve poverty alleviation, food security and farmer empowerment; initiated during the Strategic Planning Workshop in Baguio City the adoption by NTA management of the policy to transform the NTA from being purely service-oriented into a viable government corporate entity but without sacrificing developmental/service mandates, resulting to streamlining of operations eliminating costly projects and putting into the mainstream result oriented, high impact and income generating, priority projects and pioneering ventures that included the development of tobacco’s other industrial uses; and cost sharing arrangement with the tobacco private sector in Protocol Research and Tobacco Contract Growing System.

Mamerto E. Ellorin (19 June 2003 to 12 March 2004) initiated the re-institution of the commodity clearance system, as standard government regulatory procedures for imported/exported manufactured and unmanufactured tobacco.

Beset by a very poor crop quality performance in CY 2002-2003, sought the participation of the private sector, congressional representatives of the tobacco producing districts and local government officials, in charting a unified direction and forming strategies that gave rise to diversification of marginal lands, early licensing of tobacco trader/buyers to capture purchase commitment, in order to determine crop size and the early planting scheme.

Chaired the Technical Working Group that prepared and finalized the 2004-2008 Strategic Plan to Modernize the Tobacco Industry in Region I, the approval of which, in 08 March 2004 by the Regional Development Council (RDC) – EXCOM, clinched his term.

Carlitos S. Encarnacion (13 March 2004 to 30 June 2010) concretize acknowledgement by the tobacco private sector of the regulatory of the NTA under existing laws; pushing for the expansion of the coverage of the exercise of regulatory authority of the NTA under existing laws; implementation of priority projects that included PGIS-DA-NTA-PATCO Productivity and Growth through Marketing Assistance – Multiline Food Processing Joint Agribusiness Project (PGMA_MFPP); aggressive pursuance of pioneering ventures to include development and commercialization of tobacco dust production, as molluscicide cum fertilizer for aquaculture application, tobacco handmade paper and handicrafts, ethanol, tobacco extracts as pesticides for mango, vegetables and ornamentals; harmonization and synergistic collaboration among industry sectors; pushing for market driven quality tobacco production through tobacco contract growing system; effective interfacing and resource tapping with other agencies/bureaus to support agency’s programs for the farmers; construction of branch office buildings for La Union, Cagayan, Isabela, Abra, Vigan and Pangasinan branch offices; continuing adoption of economy measures and revenue generation for the Agency leading to the continuing improvement in financial condition.

Edgardo D. Zaragoza (22 September 2010 to February 8, 2017) initiated the review of major programs and projects to make them more relevant and responsive to the stakeholders’ aspirations and needs; rationalized implementation of the Agency’s pioneering and priority projects; advocated frugality in spending, heightening awareness/consciousness of various offices/units in priorities and economy measures for government spending; made the Administration closer to the stakeholders through:

• Adoption of consultative, participatory approach to development and implementation of projects/services;
• Adoption of “open-door” policy for the Office of the Administrator to make the office more accessible to those who would like to personally discuss with him;
• Opening lines of communication, 24/7, via “call or text” to the Administrator, for their specific concerns, comments and/or recommendations on the continuing development, betterment of the industry, the farmers, the agency and/or its projects and services;
• Sending out confirmatory letters with return slips to ensure effectiveness in the delivery of assistance and services to clienteles according to design/ purpose; and
• Strengthening collaboration with the stakeholders, encouraging to the extent possible, a four-way partnership (among the private sector, farmers, LGUs and NTA) in the implementation of vital projects/services, to include technology and marketing arrangement, counterpart-funding scheme and tapping of extensionists/agriculturists.

Completed the objective of providing home office buildings to NTA Branch Offices; promoted officials and employees’ benefits and welfare to boost their morale by: (1) supporting human resource development through training, study tours and by providing gym, and other s[ports and related activities; and (2) increasing mobility support to the agency’s operation units that include the provision of motorcycles to Tobacco Production and Regulation Officers, Agriculturists and their supervisors and the provision of new service vehicles to the Branch Offices.

He addressed the needs of the farmers by strengthening programs to improve their productivity and profitability, and raise their quality of life through:

1. Strengthened Communication Support Program through the revival of the”Oras Ni Mannalon Ti Tabako” Radio Program and the quarterly Philippine Tobacco News which later came out bimonthly; the publication of the Techno-Calendars and Techno-Comics; and, its Media Relations, with open/regular dialogues;
2. Continued/Accelerated implementation of the Multi-Purpose Curing Barn (MPCB); and of the Small Irrigation Project to tobacco farmers in support of quality tobacco production and food sufficiency program;
3. Significantly increased the provision of Production Assistance for the tobacco farmers in line with market-driven quality tobacco production and food sufficiency program of the government;
4. Reduced the rates of interest and of administrative/processing fees for the production and facility assistance for the tobacco farmers and enhanced the procedure for the timely release said assistance to them;
5. Established the AgriPinoy Tobacco Farmers Food Processing Plant and Trading Center, including the AgriPinoy Tobacco Farmers Milling Complex;
6. Implemented three batches of the Irrigation Support Project for Small Tobacco Farmers in collaboration with Local Government Units;
7. Progressively allocated funds for the Scholarship Program for tobacco farmers’ children for a four-year bachelor’s degree or vocational/technical courses, in collaboration with eight (8) state colleges/institute and universities in Regions I, II and CAR.

He initiated the contest for the composition and eventual adoption of the NTA Hymn; implemented the Total Quality Management System for NTA for which NTA was ISO Certified under 9001:2008; initiated the Implementation of the Agency’s Strategic Performance Management System; initiated the Competency-Based Human Resource Development Program for the Agency. enabled the Agency to attain High Performance Rating for four (4) consecutive years, 2012-2016, enabling the employees to receive Performance-Based Bonus (PBB); and directed the initial implementation of the Continuing Enhancement of Capability for Quality Assurance, to include Manpower, Techno-Physical, Equipment and Facilities to support market-driven quality tobacco production, regulation and tobacco control.

Robert L. Seares (9 February 2017 to 19 March 2020) declared that the Farmers First Policy be accorded utmost importance under his leadership; immediately conducted consultative dialogues with stakeholders to understand and forge a way of working together for the progress of the industry; ensured that the benefits derived from tobacco shall be channelled back towards increasing productivity and uplifting the lives and welfare of tobacco farmers and tobacco growing communities; and exhorted local government units to spend their share from excise taxes on livelihood, agro-industrial and infrastructure projects

He made the Agency more efficient and responsive to the needs of the stakeholders, especially the farmers, emphasizing wise and judicious use of resources through enhancing the organization, and continuation of programs and planning of programs that would take care of the farmers and their families, conduct of field inspection to assess project implementation , to enhance service delivery for the benefit of the farmers and stakeholders, continuation of corporate priorities that would ensure continuing benefit for the industry and the tobacco farmers to include the market-driven quality production through the Tobacco Contract Growing System, with emphasis on the adoption of total contract growing policy; and, other income generating activities such as the AgriPinoy project, Rice Production project and Renewable Fuelwood Energy Farm project, Irrigation Support and Curing Barn Assistance projects.

He initiated farmer-driven planning through the conduct of survey of what production and trading assistance they need, through the officers of the National Federation of Tobacco Farmers Associations and Cooperatives (NAFTAC); fully supporting the effort of the Agency to attract the best and brightest individuals, filling up 60 vacant plantilla positions; and emphasizing the NTA’s genuine commitment to safeguard the industry, ensuring support to the implementation of smoke-free environment pursuant to the Executive Order No. 26, and at the same time promote the welfare of the farmers.

Robert Victor G. Seares Jr. (10 June 2020 to present)

Read.

Sub categories

• 
  History
  
• 
  Tobacco
  
• 
  Meet the Administrator
  
• 
  Mandates and Functions
  
• 
  Vision and Mission
  
• 
  Organizational Structure
  
• 
  Directory of Officials
  

Quick Links

• 
  Governing Laws
  
• 
  Citizen’s Charter
  
• 
  Career Opportunities
  
• 
  Invitation to Bid
  
• 
  Gallery
  
• 
  Downloadable Forms
  
• 
  FAQs