The Unknown....

NTA Lobby, 2nd Floor

 It is so amazing to work with people who genuinely care for each other, people you’re comfortable to work with. Tuesday morning while I’m in the lobby of NTA I ask the guard on duty “ Sir, sadino ti office ni Ma’am Marlyn?" To his surprise, he paused for a while and thought. He answered “ Sir, awan ti Ma’am Marlyn ditoy. I insisted, “Adda, daydi kinadwa mi nga maysa nga nagfield idi Thursday last week. He firmly said, “Awan amamok nga kasta a nagan ditoy sir.” From that, I noticed already that there’s something wrong with the names I mentioned in my previous blog (Which I have already corrected. I must have been thinking a lot of thinks that’s why I was not able to remember the real name so with my buddy. Hahahaha). It felt like I was hooked up to The Unknown name that I kept on looking. Hahaha.   

As I enter the FTSD, I greeted everybody "Good morning! (with a smile).” I ask Ma’am Lisa and Sir Erwin if they have read already my blog. They smiled and Ma’am Lisa exclaimed “Sir, didiay Marlyn ket Myrna.” We laughed, and I said sincerely to them "Sorry, ti natandaanan mi ket Ma’am Marlyn. (I guess our memory is not reliable already. Hahahaha. I terribly sorry Ma’am Myrna.)” This confirms the statement of the guard that there is no Ma'am Marlyn in the department so, I immediately changed the name and published it again. While we are having an informal conversation with Ma'am Lisa and Sir Erwin, it did come to my attention the beautiful collage at the back of Ma’am Lisa portraying all the different noble endeavors of the of NTA.

The rest of the week were spent looking for the area where we can focus our research and conceptualizing it to suit the needs of the department. I was caught up again to The Unknown field/area where to focus. After several hours and enlightening conversations with the personnel of FTSD, indeed, I got interested in the idea of using Fuzzy Logic and Image Processing to one of the biggest challenges the farmers, Field Technician and Private Buyers in classifying the cured leaves of tobacco. I was challenged to study on it hoping I could learn to apply it to my chosen area of study. The next day I presented it to Ma'am Kleng, the head of the department and our mentor, and I was surprised how she had shown her interest on the topic. She exclaimed, "Can we/FTSD provide for your needed resources?". I smiled and boldly said "Yes Ma'am the FTSD can provide the resources needed for this study. (In fact, without specifying to them that we are gathering data/information every time we talk to them, they have already given us most of the data/information that we need.) She interestingly said, "When you are ready with your research we will arrange a trip to the NTA main office, and you will present to them your output." I said to myself "WOW" and smiled to Ma'am Kleng and said, "That will be great Ma’am.” Parang lalo akong na-pressure doon. Hahaha. I just hope I could live up to the expectations of those people who had given their trust when they accepted us at NTA.

Let's find out together in my next post.

The Bond...

 “I extremely dislike going to a new function and sense distressful, meeting to unfamiliar persons.”  I always feel these whenever I start a new affair but I never felt this at National Tobacco Administration (NTA) – Farm Technology & Services Department (FTSD).

The people at the FTSD are very courteous. They always greet you “Good morning sir or good afternoon sir.” They are very accommodating and helpful with our concerns. They provide us all the information and knowledge we need for our immersion. Seldom have I seen a government agency like this. The department is headed by Ms. Imelda N. Riṅen also known by everyone as Ma’am Cleng.

Our first week at the FTSD, we were able to meet all the staff in the department. Some of them even from other places like Isabela. We got acquainted how NTA work with farmers (tobacco growers), private tobacco buyers and how the department manage all the data coming from the different farmers from Region 1 & 2 and from other branches of NTA from other regions in the Philippines. It's so amazing how the agency collaborates and support the farmers. They provided assistance and closely monitor from land preparation to selling until the farmers get the reparation of their labor. 

During our field day, we came to a tree of Acacia and Gmelina. It's so fascinating how these two gigantic trees support and hold each other. The trees are like the NTA and the farmers holding and supporting each other. That’s the reason why until now NTA and the farmers standing tall, strong and committed to each other. There’s a strong bond of commitment that holds each other.

We went to Pallas Valley, Vintar, Ilocos Norte, and Nagpatayen, Banna, Ilocos Norte to meet personally some farmers. We were able to interview Mr. Reynaldo Baliclic and Mr. Florentino Pitpit on the different activities in planting Tobacco. All the data are kept and later, given to the Technician assigned to them filled up in a form. The technician will give the form to the coordinator in charged in the area for analysis after which to be submitted to the office of NTA. Here are some photos were taken during our exciting and enlightening field day headed by the supportive head of FTSD Ma'am Cleng with Ma’am Luz and Ma’am Myrna (it was her birthday but she still managed to join the group. Happy birthday ma’am!) .

 The Group During the Field Day

Under the Kubo Kubo

Interview with One of the Farmer

Conventional Furnace (Pugon in Iloco)

What more? We learned the different types of tobacco. The Virginia and Burley. Each having a Neutral and Improved classification. Not only that. Ma'am Luz and Ma’am Myrna explained to us how to classify the leaves of a tobacco after curing. These are just a few of the things we learned in  our first week at NTA. I am grateful and thankful for accepting us at NTA. Indeed, William H. McRaven was true when he said. “You can't change the world alone - you will need some help - and to truly get from your starting point to your destination takes friends, colleagues, the good will of strangers and a strong coxswain to guide them.”

Answered Prayer..

After rejections from several industries/institutions, it made me think it's impossible to find an industry here in Ilocos Norte for our immersion. We applied to several industries/institutions in the private and public sectors. To some, immersion is new to them and lack of guidelines to such feared them that they can’t provide the right competencies we need for the immersion.

For a while, I thought we have nowhere to apply for immersion until we sat down and made a new list of possible government sectors. We applied at the city government of Batac. During that time the City Mayor is out of town and the HR department endorsed our applications to the OIC and advised us to follow it up the next day.

While our classmates are having already their immersion in their respective company, our faith was being tested in applying for immersion. As we wait for the response of the city government of Batac, we decided to apply at the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) located in the City of Batac still even though we have doubts how we may be able to align it to IT if we are going to stay there. As we went to NTA, we were able to meet the OIC and some personnel at the agency. To our surprise, the people there are very accommodating and amazingly, there’s a lot of potential researchable areas where IT can be applied.

Thank you to the personnel of NTA for giving us the opportunity to be immersed at their agency. Luckily, we will start our immersion on May 2, 2017. Hope that we could live up to their expectations and expect that we will learn a lot from them.

The hardships that we faced is nothing compared to the knowledge that awaits us at NTA that were made it possible through determination. Really, God answers prayer……

The search....

The highly challenging academic subjects in Doctor of Information Technology (DIT) at the Technological Institute of the Philippines – Quezon City (TIP-QC) will be over after the final blow in Industry Immersion, the last subject in the course works before moving to Dissertation 1. The students are given an opportunity, a glimpse of the challenging work environment to gain meaningful industry experiences. It's a meaningful way of validating theoretical perspectives learned in the classroom into actual practice, techniques, and processes.

To some, looking for a company for immersion is a piece of cake while it is backbreaking to others. There are those who have already started their industry careers and there are those strenuously looking for the company despite rejections upon rejections by some companies and I am one of them. 

As a response to the orientation on industry immersion with Dr. Ruji Medina, Dean of the Graduate School of TIP – QC, I have already started looking for a company together with my classmate and buddy Bobby Eclarin. Upon returning to our own province Ilocos Norte we passed an endorsement letter to Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, the biggest hospital in Ilocos Norte. We are hopeful to get a positive feedback right away from the administration. Wistfully, the head of the Human Resource and the training department are not available during that time and the personnel received the letters and advised us to make a follow up after several days.

During the time, we visited DOST Satellite branch in the City of Batac, Home of the Great Leaders, and we were able to talk to the Unit Head and had a worthwhile conversation. We found out that the DOST office there is just a branch of DOST assisting several beneficiaries to set up technologies for their ventures. After a day or two, we visited again the hospital and the head of the training department made an inquiry to Dean Rufi Medina as to the competencies needed by us for them to provide. The training center waited for several days for the response.

Subsequently after several follow-ups, cheerlessly, the hospital informed us on April 24, 2017, that they cannot accommodate us and were openly admitted that they cannot provide us the competencies we needed for the immersion. After knowing the despairing information, Bobby and I made a list of prospect companies and government offices.

Rejection doesn’t mean you’re unfit for something. Rejection simply means a better opportunity. We cannot simply be stopped by uncertainties. Instead, continue striving until we find the right company that could provide us the right training and relevant experiences.

May the good Lord grant our desires!