NTA conducts dry run for Multiline plant reopening

SANTA, ILOCOS SUR– Preparations for the re-opening of the Multiline Food Processing Plant here on Wednesday went on a high gear as a dry run of how it would operate was conducted last Friday.

The dry run was held in the presence of top and other officials of the National Tobacco Administration (NTA).

Sixty pigs were butchered with high-tech equipment of the plant. They were to be processed into various meat products like sausages, pork chop, and luncheon meat.

NTA Administrator Carlitos Encarnacion, NMIS region I director Gildo Fabros and outgoing Multiline manager Randy Quibilan led the officials in getting a feel first hand of the plant’s renewed operations after it had ceased operating some months ago.

Encarnacion exuded optimism that the plant will be able to stabilize the supply of pork meat and meat products in the Ilocos region within the first few months of Multiline’s operation. "Later on, we will supply Metro-Manila," he said.

He was assisted by NTA deputy administrators Orkhan Usman and Nestor Casela in overseeing the dry run.

Governor Luis "Chavit" Singson had earlier turned over the management of the Ilocos Sur-owned plant to NTA through a memorandum of agreement signed by him, Agriculture Secretary Domingo Panganiban, Encarnacion and tobacco farmer leader Carlos Cachola.

The tobacco farmers under the Philippine Association of Tobacco-Based Cooperatives (PATCO) will supply the plant with the raw materials that it needs like hogs and chicken, fruits, garlic and vegetables.

NTA, under its Integrated Farming and Other Income Genarating Activities Project for tobacco farmers, will provide PATCO members with production loan assistance.