Bataan celebrates NFA’s 44th Anniversary

CITY of BALANGA, Bataan – The National Food Authority-Bataan Provincial Office held a simple celebration of the agency’s 44^th founding anniversary last September 23, 2016.

The day started with a Thanksgiving Mass celebrated by Father Jeff Paule of Our Lady of Immaculate Concepcion Parish in Pto. Rivas, Balanga City. Right after the mass, a video presentation showing the highlights of “Dugo Mo, Sagip Buhay Ko” through the years, was presented.

“Dugo Mo, Sagip Buhay Ko” is the annual bloodletting activity that started in 2002 as a coordinated effort of the National Food Authority (NFA) Bataan employees, Bataan Grains Retailers Association (BAGRETAS) and of course, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Bataan Chapter.

The annual blood drive has always contributed to the blood needs of patients from Bataan as well as those coming from neighboring provinces. For this year however, NFA was advised by PRC that another blood drive will not be feasible since a lot of organizations have already conducted the same activity, thereby resulting to a surplus of bags of blood at the blood bank.

So instead of a bloodletting activity, Mgr. Adelaida C. Nuestro suggested to simply make a monetary donation to PRC Bataan Chapter as part of NFA-Bataan’s celebration of the agency’s 44^th anniversary. The check amounting to Php 20,000.00 was presented to PRC Bataan Chapter Administrator Charlie Gatbonton and their officers and board members by NFA Bataan PM Adelaida Nuestro, NFA personnel and officers and members of BAGRETAS, headed by their President, Mr. Conrado Sebastian. Mr. Gatbonton expressed the gratitude of PRC Bataan and stated that he hopes for a continuous partnership with NFA and BAGRETAS in order to help those in need.

Aside from presenting PRC Bataan with a cash donation, NFA employees and their guests also participated in other activities such as Zumba, parlor games and mini raffle to celebrate the agency’s anniversary.

In her welcome remarks, Mgr. Nuestro reminded everyone that NFA was created to provide low cost rice in every dining table in the Philippines, and that regardless of all issues and challenges the agency is currently facing, NFA employees still show the same enthusiasm and love for their job the same way they have shown during the start of NFA in September 26, 1972.

That in the face of various odds, NFA still manages to fulfill its mandate and social responsibility to ensure that low-cost, good quality rice is readily available for the public, especially during times of calamities and disasters.

Manager Nuestro also expressed her gratitude to the agency stakeholders for their unwavering support to NFA programs and projects, despite current issues and challenges faced by the agency.

Former NFA Director Gaudencio”Guding” Ferrer also graced the occasion and reminisced about his early days in the agency. He recalled that employees then have readily sacrificed things such as comfortable beds to sleep at night and being with their families for the sake of serving the agency and the Filipino people. He humorously recounted personal stories of sleeping on top of cavans of palay right in the middle of rice fields to ensure the safety and security of stocks during the height of procurement season.

The simple celebration was filled with fun and bonding among agency employees and stakeholders as well as reminded everyone of the important role NFA plays in making sure that low cost, good quality rice is available for every Filipino.