NTA Administrator Carlitos Encarnacion announced that the occasion will also bring together the various stakeholders of the tobacco industry–tobacco buyer firms, famers, and government officials.
Ilocos Sur Governor Luis "Chavit" Singson will lead Ilocos officials including Ilocos Sur Reps. Eric Singson and Salacnib Baterina to the occasion.
Ilocos Sur produces the largest volume of Virginia tobacco in the country.
It was learned that farmers headed by Carlos Cachola, president of the Philippine Association of Tobacco-Based Cooperatives (PATCO) will join the celebration as well as local officials from tobacco growing areas.
Buyer firms led by Winston Uy, president of the Philippine Aromatic Tobacco Dealers Association (PATDA) and Rodolfo Salanga, president of Philippine Tobacco Institute (PTI) have confirmed their attendance.
"NTA at l8 Metamorphoses to Become a Vital Cog in National Development" is the theme of this year’s celebration.
The NTA chief said that the theme underscores the twin technological breakthroughs attained by the agency after developing pulp from tobacco stalks and dust from tobacco leaves.
The tobacco pulp has been reportedly found as viable for paper production while tobacco dust is effective against snails and other pests in fishponds.
NTA was created by then President Corazon Aquino under Executive order 245 on July 24, l987. It merged the former Phil. Virginia Tobacco Administration and other tobacco agencies into one body, the NTA.
This year’s celebration was set for Tuesday July 26 to enable the stakeholders to attend the event as July 24 falls on a Sunday. — Teddy Molina