Villar galled by National Tobacco Administration's P100 million technical assistance fund

Senator Cynthia Villar on Friday vented her displeasure at the officers of the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) as she warned of graft in the P100 million proposed allocation for production technical assistance to farmers.

At a Senate budget hearing, Villar and Senator Imee Marcos were scrutinizing the NTA's P505-million proposed 2022 budget.

Of the said amount, P305 million would be allocated for their operations while P200 million would go to their projects.

The NTA allocated P100 million for the tobacco curing barn assistance project while the other half would go to production technical marketing assistance.

Marcos asked about the emergency cash assistance for the tobacco farmers but Villar said the NTA only provided funds for production technical marketing assistance.

“Ang sabi dito [What they included here is], ‘provision of production technical marketing assistance,’” Villar, who presided over the hearing, said.

Marcos expressed alarm over this.

“Hala. Tecnhical na naman kayo, walang natanggap na emergency cash,” Marcos manifested.

(They allocated funds again for technical assistance. The farmers have not even received emergency cash.)

Villar then expressed her anger over the P100 million budget for the said technical assistance.

“Putang*** puro nakaw ‘to [This will be prone to corruption],” a visibly agitated Villar said.

NTA Administrator Robert Victor Seares Jr. tried to explain the budget allocation but he was interrupted by Villar.

“Tigilan niyo na ‘ko. ‘Yang mga technical assistance na yan, alam naman natin na drama lang yan ng tao. Naku naman. Diyos ko. Terible,” Villar added.

(Stop it. We are aware of these technical assistance projects. Those are pure drama. My God. This is terrible.)

The lawmaker then directed the NTA officers to realign the P100 million funding to emergency cash assistance for farmers.

“Itong P100 million ilagay na lang na emergency cash assistance to the tobacco farmers…tapos yung P100 million okay na sa kanya na curing barn assistance pero ilista kung kanino ibibigay,” she said.

(Reallocate the P100 million funds to emergency cash assistance for tobacco farmers... then the remaining P100 million can be allocated to the curing barn assistance but list down the beneficiaries.)

“Kasi itong technical marketing assistance, naku po, susmaryosep, lumilipad to sa hangin e, ayusin niyo na lang yan,” she added

(The funds for this technical marketing assistance will be gone with the wind. Fix that.)

The NTA officials said they would follow Villar’s recommendation. — DVM, GMA News