Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya—Mayor Ralph Lantion has encouraged tobacco farmers here to produce more for their economic development.
Lantion said the local government is getting P11 million every year from its share of the excise tax on tobacco products imposed by the national government.
“We are urging our farmers to produce more so that we will return it back to them to further improve their communities,” he said.
Among the proposed projects for the tobacco farmers is the construction of additional farm-to-market roads (FMR), which Lantion said would be poured into the tobacco-producing barangays of Bonfal, Paitan and Bansing.
He said the improvement of FMRs will inspire and encourage tobacco farmers to get more our of their farms.
“Our LGU is always ready to sustain our farmers who are the agricultural assets of our municipality,” Lantion added.
The 14 provinces that produce burley and native tobacco are Abra, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Kalinga, La Union, Maguindanao, Misamis Oriental, North Cotabato, Nueva Vizcaya, Occidental Mindoro, Pangasinan, and Tarlac.
Under Republic Act No. 7171, LGUs that manufacture Virginia-type cigarettes get a 15-percent share of national tax collections. Of the total amount, provincial governments and congressional districts will receive 30 percent each, while cities and municipalities will take the remaining 40 percent.