Skip to main content

Tobacco company eyes partnership with Ilocos Norte farmers



By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff reporter

LAOAG CITY—Amidst the implementation of the sin tax law, a multi-national tobacco company is ready to expand to a bigger market and partner with Ilocos Norte farmers to plant tobacco.

Edwin CariƱo, head of the Sustainable Development Center under the provincial government confirmed this as he reported the management of the Universal Leaf Philippines Inc. (ULPI) is set to visit Ilocos Norte to discuss the possible partnership agreement with Ilocos Norte Gov. Ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos.

“We are expecting the top executives of ULPI represented by its president Winston Wi or the vice president Erwin Ang to meet with our governor in the upcoming week,” said Mr. CariƱo.

According to Mr. CariƱo, ULPI is interested to enter into a contract growing scheme with tobacco farmers here.

Under the contract growing scheme, he explained ULPI will assure tobacco farmers that they have a ready market for their products. They will also provide both technical and financial assistance to them.

In 2012, the government enacted Republic Act No. 10351, more commonly known as the sin tax law, which aims to curb the incidence of smoking in the country, by making cigarettes more expensive through higher taxes on cigarette manufacturers. 

It means simplified cigarette taxes by imposing a single PHP30 tax for every pack of cigarettes, regardless of brand.

The single tax rate took effect in January 2016 with a four percent increase annually.

Earlier, the National Tobacco Administration has conducted a series of consultations and dialogues to formulate a roadmap for the tobacco industry.

The roadmap shall serve as a basis of NTA in effecting policies and implementing programs for the benefit of the 65,000 registered tobacco farmers in the country and those that depend on the industry for livelihood.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Free dormitories eyed for Nueva Era students in LC, Batac

 Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Nueva Era , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here, headed by Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida is planning to establish dormitories in the cities of Laoag and Batac that will exclusively cater to college students from the said cities. “Sapay la kuma ta maituloyen iti mabiit tay ar-arapaapen tayo ken iti munisipyo a maipatakderan kuma dagiti annak tayo a college students nga agbasbasa idiay siyudad iti Batac ken Laoag iti libre a dormitoryo a bukod da ngem inggana nga awan pay ket an-anusan mi paylaeng nga ibaklay kenni apo bise mayor iti pagbayad da iti kasera aggapu iti bukod mi a suweldo malaksid dagitay it-ited iti munisipyo ken iti barangay nga stipend da kada semester, ” Garvida said.    Garvida added that the proposed establishment of dormitories would be a big help to the students’ parents as this would shoulder the expenses of their children for rent and likewise they would feel more secured

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd  of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become an annua

P29 per kilo rice sold to vulnerable groups in Ilocos region

BBM RICE. Residents buy rice for only PHP29 per kilo at the NIA compound in San Nicolas town, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. The activity was under a nationwide pilot program of the government to sell quality and affordable rice initially to the vulnerable sectors. (Lei Adriano) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte —Senior citizens, persons with disability, and solo parents availed of cheap rice sold at PHP29 per kilogram during the grand launching of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice held at the National Irrigation Administration compound in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. “ Maraming salamat Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa inyong pagmamahal sa Region 1 lalong-lalo na sa bayan namin sa San Nicolas,” said Violeta Pasion, a resident Brgy.   18 Bingao in this town. The low-priced grains were sourced from the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) contract farming with irrigators' association members in the province. Along with Pasion, Epi