(Lifted from NTA - Industrial Research Department - Product Development Division)

The National Tobacco Administration (NTA) partnered with Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) to launch a specialized community empowerment workshop for the participants from Pinili, Ilocos Norte on June 24-25, 2026.

The initiative is part of the ongoing extension program of the MMSU Department of Social Sciences, College of Arts & Sciences (DSS-CAS), PanagTARIBAY ITI ILI – Technological  Assistance in Revitalizing and Initiating Boundaries towArds Yielding productivity, profitability and sustainability, which aims to deliver capacity-building and livelihood activities to rural communities. The program directly targets three tobacco-producing barangays in the Municipality of Pinili, namely Sacritan, Lumbaan-Bicbica, and Liliputen.

The two-day sustainable barangay entrepreneurship workshop was conducted at the Product Development Division (PDD) of the Industrial Research Department (IRD), NTA, Batac City, Ilocos Norte. Project TALEK Leader/Overall Coordinator and DSS-CAS Associate Professor V Bella Ramos set the direction of the workshop and enlightened the participants on how the government provides support to the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). This was followed by a lecture series on entrepreneurship. Chief of the Socioeconomic, Technopreneurship, and Partnership of the National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center and DSS-CAS Associate Professor V Marjorie Garcia and DSS-CAS Instructor Victoria Morales delivered a lecture on Entrepreneurial Setting & Process while DSS-CAS Instructor Lester Saldua discussed the Aspects of Entrepreneurship.

During the technical phase of the workshop, PDD-IRD Science Research Specialist II Mary Jane Vives discussed the step-by-step tobacco handmade paper (THP) production process and PDD-IRD Science Research Specialist I Sharwin Abad discussed value-adding through THP conversion into novelty items. The participants learned to process raw tobacco stalks into durable paper, culminating in the creation of unique, eco-friendly novelty items. The THP novelty items developed by the participants included gift bag, gift box, and certificate holder. These items showcase how agricultural waste can be upcycled into commercially viable consumer goods, laying the groundwork for sustainable barangay-led enterprises.

This initiative received strong backing from the NTA’s top management. In her message to the organizers and participants, NTA Administrator & CEO Belinda S. Sanchez commended the joint effort to uplift agricultural communities. NTA remains deeply committed to improving the living conditions and raising the quality of life of tobacco farmers. By transforming local resources into value-added products, sustainable alternate livelihood is promoted and economic resilience of barangays is strengthened. The partnership between NTA and MMSU exemplifies how government and academic institutions can work hand-in-hand to empower local communities. (LPN)

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