Food plant to open June 21

SANTA, Ilocos Sur – Ground and technical preparations are going on for the formal reopening on June 21 of the Ilocos Sur Multiline Food Processing Plant, coinciding with the birthday celebration of Governor Luis "Chavit" Singson.

The June 21 reopening will signal the start of the full blast operation of the plant that is located along the national highway in barangay Mabilbila Sur, Santa, it was learned.

The plant will be managed by the National Tobacco Admnistration (NTA) headed by Administrator Carlitos Encarnacion who launched the agency’s vegetable production project here last May 3.

Provincial board member Jeremias Singson represented the governor during the project’s launching at the Multiline compound.

Carlos Cachola, president of the Philippine Association of Tobacco Farmers’ Cooperatives (PATCO) welcomed the plant’s formal reopening and full blast operation saying farmers will benefit much from it.

Before it stopped operating, the plant was producing native sausages, luncheon meat and other meat products, and dried fruits and fruit juices.

Board member Singson cited "poor management" as the reason for the closure of the plant during his speech on May 3 here. "I’m looking forward to better times under NTA’s management of the plant," he said. 

The tobacco farmers through PATCO will supply Multiline with hogs, chicken vegetables, fruits and other crops that it will need in its processing operations. – Teddy Molina