Tanchanco, former NFA head; 83

JESUS Tanchanco Sr., the first administrator of the National Food Authority, died on Monday afternoon. He was 83.

Tanchanco founded the NFA during the Marcos regime and served as its administrator from 1972 to 1986.

In a statement, the NFA said its former administrator succumbed to cardiac arrest on April 14 at the UE Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center after experiencing chest pains.

He is survived by his wife, Alice Martinez-Tanchanco and four children Jesus Jr., Alfredo, Ma. Carina, and Tomas.

He was buried yesterday at the Holy Cross Memorial Park in Novaliches.

During the Marcos regime, Tanchanco served as minister of food, NFA administrator and president of Food Terminal Inc. He was also an assemblyman of Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela during the Interim Batasang Pambansa.

Tanchanco earned his  Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of the East in 1953. As a UE alumnus, he served as executive director of its marketing department and was a member of the board of trustees. He was also appointed team manager of the UE Red Warriors men’s basketball team.

He also chaired the Heart Foundation of the Philippines, agriculture committee of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and the Metro Manila Chamber of Commerce and Industry Development Cooperative. He served as vice chair of the committee on fruits and vegetables of the Department of Agriculture and was board of director of the national marketing umbrella and the minimum access volume units of the DA.