INTRODUCTION
Today, as the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) marks its 6th anniversary, I would like to congratulate all of you for nurturing the tobacco industry.

I am pleased to acknowledge the gains you have achieved despite the odds that the industry faces because of the many issues cast upon tobacco and smoking. While most of our agricultural crops suffered a downward trend, tobacco has continued to register a positive growth.

Your focus on the tobacco farmer, not the tobacco broker or middle man, in the recent years pleases me more, as I have time and again emphasized that I am committed to our little folks.

Let us continue initiating direct intervention measures against poverty of the tobacco farmer. Let us ensure the delivery of basic services to our poorest communities in the tobacco farming area.
THE INDUSTRY’S CONTRIBUTION TO “PHILIPPINES 2000!!!”
I have been informed that NTA intensified its efforts toward such general areas of priority concerns as: stabilization of tobacco production; optimization of farmers yields and profitability; effecting responsive trading and pricing systems; creation and expansion of demand and reduction of leaf imports; and more responsive support services and facilities.

I also commend your agenda of development to optimize the industry’s contribution to our goal to become a newly industrializing country by the year 2000. As you improve your efficiency and productivity, and expand your marketing horizons to cope with worldwide developments, let me remind you once more to always see to it that our tobacco farmers benefit in an equitable and democratic way from your activities. Let us provide them with the access to opportunities that will not only extricate themselves from the age-old shackles of poverty but also enable them to contribute, as principal players, to community development and national progress in a more substantial way.

I, therefore, affirm my support to these particular areas of concern in your agenda: one, tapping our outstanding tobacco farmers as grass-root extension workers who will complement NTA technicians in services delivery to other tobacco farmers;

Two, identifying at least three other industrial uses of tobacco for commercial purposes; and,

Three, providing production support services and credit assistance to tobacco farmers cooperatives.
“TABAKO 2000!!!”
I am confident that our tobacco industry will have a bright future ahead considering the growth of world consumption of tobacco and tobacco products. Trends in the world market, particularly in the European Community, indicate increasing use of filler tobacco which the Philippines has long been known for.

True enough, our country has gained worldwide prominence as a reliable supplier of quality leaf. You must do your best to maintain and enhance this status. This you can do by increasing the export competitiveness of Philippine tobacco through the acceleration of your tobacco contract growing program.

Government is appreciative and most supportive of the efforts of our tobacco farmers. Hence, last July 13, I signed Memo Circular No. 61 drawing up guidelines for the final implementation of Republic Act 7171 which, unfortunately were not provided for in the law itself nor in implementing rules and regulations during the previous administration. If you recall, this law provides that part of the excise tax from locally-manufactured Virginia-type cigarettes be given to local government units of certain tobacco-producing regions to carry out programs for the development of our tobacco farming communities. Memo Circular 61, aside from spelling out the functional responsibilities of concerned government agencies such as the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the National Tobacco Administration and the local government units, specifies that the law should be implemented starting 1994. That is a mere five months away from now.
CLOSING
At this point, let me congratulate the winners of the outstanding tobacco growers of the year contest and the newly elected officers of the national organization of tobacco cooperatives in the Philippines.

To the winners, may you serve as inspiration and example to your peer-farmers in your respective communities so that they too can become agents of change for the improvement of our tobacco industry.

To the newly elected officers, may you help organize more cooperatives among our poor communities and thereby empower the marginalized tobacco farmers to play a greater role in their barangays and towns, in the progress of Ilocandia, and in our country’s overall development.

To the officers and staff of the National Tobacco Administration, my warmest felicitations on your 6th anniversary. Your job is to make the industry grow in a competitive, transparent and democratic manner. Your job is to implement effectively NTA’s agenda of development which we can call “Tabako 2000!!!”.

Salamat at mabuhay tayong lahat!