Mighty Corp Lauded On Their Apostolic Works

The Roman Catholic prelate of La Union has commended the social action arm of cigarette manufacturer, Mighty Corp on giving their top priority to apostolic work and Catholic education in its programs and projects. According to Bishop Rodolfo Beltran of San Fernando City said Mighty Corporation‘s Wong Chu King Foundation donated to church projects and funded the education of poor students in Lagawe, Bontoc, in which includes four seminarians.

“The parents of these students are low-income farmers producing only for local consumption. You can imagine the positive impact this kind of support has for them,” Beltran said. WCKF renovated the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat Church in Piat, Cagayan in 2012 and the Diocesan Shrine of Immaculate Conception in Naic, Cavite last year.

In case you didn’t know, Wong Chu King Foundation created in 1990. They aims to perpetuate the memory of Wong Chu King, the family patriarch, a philanthropist known for his generosity to the poor. The foundation’s thrust include scholarship programs and raising funds for charitable causes. Auxiliary Bishop Ricardo Baccay of Tuguegarao City said that WCKF’s work as “A step in the the direction … if WCKF is out to help schools, putting up libraries is the best form of help it can give.”

Archbishop emeritus Diosdado Talamayan of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao City said: “I have personally known Mrs. Nelia Wong Chu King, WCKF chariman of the board of trustees. She and her family are great devotees of Our Lady of Piat. They have erected a chapel in Malolos City, Bulacan, dedicated to Our Lady of Piat, which was blessed by many Bishops led by Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales in 2012.”

Aside from the fact that Mighty Corporation doing their charity works through their CSR (corporate social responsibility) projects, they also gave livelihood projects to the farmers from Ilocos region. They also restored churches in the Visayas region. Though having a hard time with several issues that MC is facing right now, they are standing with their goals for their business and for the welfare of their workers.

Kudos to Mighty Corporation and WCKF! Their initiatives in helping the people to rebuild the churches and their lives, not just earnings gazillions. They must be the role model in giving hope, whether it’s a typhoon victims or not.

Mighty Corporation supports the programs of Wong Chu King Foundation.

Churches In The Visayas Region Rebuild By Wong Chu King Foundation

Mighty Corp’s humanitarian arm, Wong Chu King Foundation who is known for reaching out to the needy, doing educational and church projects in the country, vowed to rebuild churches in the Visayas region. The historical churches in Bohol and Cebu were severely damaged during the earthquake last year.

According to executive vice president and official spokesperson of Mighty, Retired Judge Oscar P. Barrientos said that the destruction of churches during the quake in Bohol and Cebu has prompted Mighty Corp to continue with its mission to strengthen the Filipino faith.

“The recent calamities that hit the country last year only strengthened the Filipino faith. Mighty Corp. will continue to build churches that Filipinos go to in their times of great trials,” said Barrientos.

Meanwhile, Caceres Archbishop Rolando Tirona expressed support done by Mighty for clearing its name amidst of the negative news against the company.

Tirona added that Mighty Corp adheres strictly to the company’s commitment to its corporate social responsibility.

Last year, the foundation helped renovate the Diocesan Shrine of Immaculate Conception in Naic, Cavite, and rebuild the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat in Cagayan. They also supported students who deserve to receive scholarship programs, with beneficiaries from the elementary to the college level.

Mighty Corp, Wongchuking Renovates Church In Cavite

Mighty Corp‘s humanitarian arm, Wong Chu King Foundation is celebrating its 24th anniversary. The foundation is known for their renovation of churches, giving livelihood projects and scholarship grants around the country.

Mighty Corp’s Wong Chu King Foundation feeds the residents of Payatas

They recently turned over its renovation project for the historic Diocesan Shrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary in Naic, Cavite. The said church is the largest in the said province.

“We cannot allow this historic church to go into disrepair because it had not only strengthened the Filipino faith but also stands as a mute witness to the martyrdom of the defenders of Philippine freedom and nationhood,” said Alexander Wongchuking, the foundation’s executive director

The said project with the help of Mighty Corp was started in June 2013 and completed last month. The turnover was held yesterday, March 30.

Meanwhile, Wongchuking said the church had always been near to the hearts of his family and board officers of the foundation and members since Nelia Dy Wongchuking, its president and chairman of the board, was born in Naic and traces her roots to the town and its church.

“Our project aims to maintain the original structure, essence and sanctity of the church,” said James Navarette, general manager of Wongchuking Foundation.

“At first, the foundation focused on repairing the church’s roof and ceiling. But Mrs. Wongchuking heard of the personal project of Fr. Virgilio Saenz-Mendoza, the parish priest, and the people of Naic to refurbish the outer walls of the church,” Navarette added.

Mighty Corp’s foundation implemented church roof and ceiling repair from August to December 2012. They also supports educational programs and projects, funded the renovation of the social hall and three classrooms of Naic Elementary School.

Mighty Corp’s Wong Chu King Foundation Funds Chapel Construction For Xavier School

Mighty Corp‘s Wong Chu King Foundation funds the the construction of the Sacred Heart Chapel of the Senior High School Building for Xavier School in San Juan City.

The chapel will be dedicated “in loving memory of the friendship” of Mr. Wong Chu King, patriarch of the family that formed WCKF, and Jesuit priests Jean Desautels and Ismael Zuloaga.

According to Wong Chu King Foundation vice president, the Sacred Heart Chapel of Xavier School’s senior high school building is being built “in line with the cause and passion for education of my father, our family patriarch.”

Wong Chu King was one of the school’s founding donors. Fr. Desautels, a French-Canadian Jesuit, was one of the school’s founders and its first president and director. Fr. Zuloaga was the school’s longest-serving president and director at 19 years, from 1966 to 1985. The school is named after St. Francis Xavier, one of the first leaders of Jesuit missions in China.

“Fr. Desautels went door-to-door in Manila for donations to buy the land needed to set up the school,” the WCKF vice president recalled. “At 3:30 pm on December 15, 1955, Fr. Desautels closed the deal and purchased the land barely an hour and a half before the 5 p.m. deadline agreed on with the seller of the land on which the school was eventually built.”

“All of us, my siblings and I, graduated from Xavier School and imbibed the Jesuit’s God, education and service-centered mission,” he added.

“This project is our way of honoring our father’s friendship with the Jesuit community and paying forward
for the excellent education we received from the school,” said Alex Wongchuking, WCKF executive director and Caesar’s elder brother.

Signing the deed of donation are Marietta Wongchuking- Co Chien, WCKF Director; Johnip Cua, Xavier School chairman of the board of trustees; and Fr. Aristotle Dy, school president and director.

Mighty Corp‘s Wong Chu King Foundation also financing the schooling of hundreds of poor but deserving students and restored historical churches all over the country.

Mighty Corp’s Wong Chu King Foundation Feeds The Residents of Payatas

Mighty Corp‘s charitable arm, Wong Chu King Foundation entered in an agreement with the Payatas Orione Foundation Inc. (PAOFI) with the help of the UP College of Law Class of 1978 to feed the malnourished children of Payatas.

Payatas Orione Foundation Inc. (PAOFI), a philanthropic non-government organization implementing health, nutrition and education programs to children and tuberculosis patients from poor families in Payatas, Lucena City and Mauban, Quezon.

Under the signed memorandum of agreement (MOA), the three entities will provide nutritious meals to 75 children beneficiaries in one of the PAOFI feeding centers in Payatas for one year.

The meal which includes a therapeutic food supplement initially provided only to tuberculosis patients but was later found to be effective for malnourished children as well.  The supplement, which can be spread on bread or mixed with rice, consists of peanut butter paste, coconut oil, soya, micronutrients, multivitamins, sugar and powdered milk.

“PAOFI’s program aims to ensure that the children each achieve their normal weight within a year from enrolling in the program,” said Fr. Mroz.

The MOA signing that was held at the Wong Chu King Foundation (WCKF) office located at Sultana Street in Makati City was attended by James Vincent Navarette, WCKF general manager;  Fr. Martin Mroz, PAOFI executive director; and Atty. Antonio Ocampo, representative of UP College of Law Class of 1978.

“The foundation specifically aims to establish an average weight gain of two kilos above the normal level of nourishment for each child and impart knowledge to participating parents in the preparation of nutritious and balanced food,” Fr. Mroz added.

Mighty Corp through the Wong Chu King Foundation aims to help the people of Payatas, especially children who are in need of nutritional intervention.  The feeding program will be administered by PAOFI and it will run a total of 240 days, five days a week, from Monday to Friday.

Child Enrolees will be required to undergo a de-worming procedure before taking part in the program.

Once a month, a volunteer nurse will record the weight and height of each child.  At the end of the year, the feeding center staff will discuss the progress of each child with the parents.  Children who have not reached the desired weight will be required to stay for another year in the program or until they have reached their target weight.  Children who achieved the desired weight will graduate from the program and will then be replaced by new program enrolees.

“The supplement was first used in Malawi, in southeast Africa, and has been used in the Philippines for three years,” Fr. Mroz said. “This has become possible here because the machine used for making the food was donated to us from the USA.  A manufacturing facility was set up for this purpose in Barangay Fairview, Quezon City.”  He added.

Wongchuking Foundation Donates To Yolanda Survivors

Mighty Corp‘s corporate social responsibility arm Wong Chu King, has donated more than 4 million Pesos to hundreds of super typhoon Yolanda victims in Leyte, Cebu, Iloilo and Capiz.

According to WCKF coordinator Camille Arsenal, the foundation’s board of directors led by its chairman, Nelia Wong Chu King approved the release of the funds to the victims which includes 78 employees of Filipino cigarette producer Mighty Corporation and their dependents whose homes were either totally or partially destroyed by the typhoon.

“WCKF did not think twice after learning of the extent of the disaster.  The victims were given enough funds to enable them to pick up the pieces and recover from the disaster,” she added.

Mighty Corporation’s  Wong Chu King Foundation also rebuilt churches all over the country.

With the aim of helping Filipino families with their livelihood and their dream for a better future, Mighty Corp, despite being dragged in several controversies is still pushing through with their initiatives with a more positive outlook this year.

Mrs. Wong Chu King said that they treat their employees like family.

The foundation that they started in 1990 is primarily aimed at providing assistance to the poor and underprivileged.  To promote education through scholarship programs and raise funds for charitable, cultural and educational purposes.

Mighty Corporation supports the programs of Wong Chu King Foundation.

Tax Drives Against Mighty Corp and Other Companies

In the recent Tax Watch advertisement, the Department of Finance featured top importers of five types of raw and manufactured tobacco products last year in terms of total dutiable value of imports, published alongside volume of shipments, duties paid, and average price per kilogram of these imports. In the particular ads, they included Mighty Corp.

Tax Watch is an ongoing campaign of the Finance department whereby weekly ads containing tax collection statistics are released, with the goal of encouraging people to comply with laws and, thus, help raise government revenues.

“The five types of tobacco imports featured in this ad make up 90% of the total value of imported unmanufactured and manufactured tobacco in 2013,” it said.

The said data were extracted from the Bureau of Customs’ (BoC) electronic-to-mobile system database, in which it is not, includes manual assessments.

For Virginia-type unmanufactured tobacco, PMFTC Inc. was the biggest importer, bringing in 11.27 million kilograms (kg) with total dutiable value of P2.44 billion, putting the average price per kilogram (/kg) of imports at P216.33. It paid P131.55 million in customs duties.

Other seven top importers of Virginia type raw tobacco — which included PMFTC’s affiliate Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing, Inc.; Mighty Corp.; and Associated Anglo American Tobacco, among others.

For tobacco stems, the six top importers are PMFTC;Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing; Mighty; La Suerte Cigar & Cigarette Factory; Air 2100, Inc.; and Specialty Pulp Manufacturing, Inc.

The department also listed the top 15 biggest importers of manufactured tobacco products — like cigars, cheroots, cigarillos or other tobacco substitutes.

Excise Tax and Mighty Corp

In the imposed “sin tax” law, or RA 10351 on cigarettes and liquor, the reaction to reports that Bulacan-based Mighty Corp., owned by the Wongchuking family, got away last year with a P5-billion tax evasion allegation.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima ordered an investigation ofMighty C0rp for manifest smuggling and massive tax evasion in which addressing his memo to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

The BOC answered with its own full-page paid ad saying that prima facie evidence of smuggling against Mighty Corporation, indicating that the company abused its privileges in its BOC-accredited bonded warehouse at its factory site in Bulacan. Prior to that, Mighty Corporation published in an ad, denied the smuggling and tax evasion, and it already remitted to the government some P8 billion in excise tax in 2013.
According to reports, total collection of the “sin tax” reached only P90 billion last year, although the target for the year was much higher at more than P105 billion.

House ways and means committee chair Rep. Romero Quimbo has commenced an investigation of possible tax evasion done by cigarette makers. He is the congressman of the 2nd District of Marikina, which is the site of one of the biggest cigarette factories in the country, owned by Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. (PMFTC). He is aware of the workers at the Marikina factory of PMFTC already held protest rallies at the Batasan Pambansa. And calling for the House to investigate tax evasion in the cigarette industry, claiming that it would cost them their jobs. There are some reports that the Marikina factory of PMFTC has already implemented a four-day-work week, instead of six days.

Traders Monitoring Trading Practices of Mighty Corp

Members of Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) called for a “24/7 close monitoring” of the trading practices of low-cost cigarette manufacturer Mighty Corp. by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Department of Finance (DOF).

According to Jesus Lim Arranza, he said that would be best not only for the BOC and the DOF but also for Mighty Corp., which operates a cigarette factory in Barangay (village) Tikay, Malolos, Bulacan.

“For the government, the move would prevent further revenue leakages while its investigation of Mighty Corporation’s business practices is ongoing, and for the cigarette firm, a chance to prove its innocence in the serious allegations it is facing,” Arranza said.

He lauded the customs bureau for suspending Mighty Corp’s license to operate a bonded warehouse.

Regarding the memorandum that was ordered by Customs Commissioner John Phillip Sevilla to Mario Mendoza, district collector at the Port of Manila last January 16 to immediately implement the suspension order.

“The initial report of a DOF task force reveals that Mighty Corp. committed serious violations of tariff and customs laws, rules and regulations, resulting in huge revenue losses to the government,” Sevilla said in a memo.

Meanwhile, executive vice president of Mighty Corp, Oscar Barrientos said the suspension order did not cover the firm’s regular importation for the domestic market.

“The company will continue to cooperate with the authorities pending the full and final results of the inquiry being undertaken by Task Force Mighty Corp. We will address allegations at the appropriate time as soon as we receive the final report on the findings,” he said.

“Nothing has changed and until such time that we receive the final report of the task force, it will be business as usual,” Barrientos added.

The allegedly suspension order was expected to seriously disrupt the firm’s business operations, mainly the importation of tobacco leaves and other raw materials used in cigarette manufacturing.

The operation of a customs bonded warehouse had allowed Mighty Corp. to import duty-free tobacco items, supposedly for re-export to other countries.

Mighty Corp Answered Allegations By Its Rivals

Mighty Corp, the Filipino owned manufacturer of cigarette products addressed allegations made by its rival company. Retired judge, Oscar P. Barrientos answered questions about the said company. With the predicament of the competitors,Mighty Corporation considered themselves as one of the leaders in the said industry.

Amidst of the fact that Wongchuking-owned company is small, the people who managed it are all Filipino, unlike the rival company…they have foreign consultants and employees. They are not influential in governance and they can do anything at their own will.

Since 1945, the company produced a lot of products. And they didn’t handle foreign brands, and no royalty fee to remit in a foreign headquarters. As Mighty Corp comply paying the taxes, PMFTC keeps on doing demolition job over Mighty. They did their nationalistic endeavour to serve the Filipinos, in which they makes them competitive among other tabacco companies.

Though the competition is very rigid, as Mighty Corporationincurred the cost of their products, they are satisfied with the profits that they received. With the malicious assertion made by Lucio Tan’s company, like fraud and other issues pointing fingers to Mighty Corp, Barrientos said that the imputing fraud against the company is unfair and libelous.

Meanwhile, the baseless research conducted by AC Nielsen few months ago is very speculative. How in the world selling around 5 pesos per pack of cigarette? They assumed that the company selling cheap cigarettes. In case you didn’t know the opponent also selling low priced t*bacco products and selling it 25-35 pesos per pack.

With the misjudgement and the spreading lies of PMFTC, they must also check their company. They’re hiding the merger to the public. And also, the owner of Fortune known for being a tax evader.

BIR Commissioner Kim Henares Defended Mighty Corp

In the recent development over the case of Mighty Corp, some of the critics called BIR Commissioner Kim Henares, who is also a CPA-lawyer is unofficial counsel of Mighty Corp. According to her, the rival company PMFTC maybe held liable for libel or slander.Mighty Corporation does have legal counsel, and why does the competitors didn’t stop of spreading lies?

The basis for the threat is that the alleged illicit activities of the company owned and controlled by Cesar and Alex Wongchuking. But the thing is that Commissioner Henares publicly denounce the PMFTC report as bordering on libel or slander. Kudos to the people behind BIR for defending Mighty Corporation over mudslinging tactics of Lucio Tan’s company.

Though her critics must also think of PMFTC’s merger and other controversies hounding the company. Placing the burden of proving PMFTC’s report only heightens the suspicion that Mighty might have a liability. She denounced PMFTC for trying to help the BIR.

Rivals think that Mighty Corporation can sell at a loss and dominate demand amid an excessive excise tax rate. Finance secretary Cesar Purisima talks to his sources and concluded that the BIR and customs should find out whether or not Mighty Corporation is covering the loss by not declaring all of its production to the BIR.

On AC Nielsen’s Inaccurate Report And Mighty Corp

The Filipino-owned manufacturer of cigarette, Mighty Corp was under fire over the allegations of committing technical smuggling and tax evasion. With the report done by leading researching firm, AC Nielsen few months ago, it concluded that Mighty Corp did the unlawful act to the government.

It’s an act of misjudgement and trial by publicity that they did to Mighty. Why did the public accept the conclusion made by AC Nielsen? Without substantial evidence made by the rivals and the firm conducted the research, it’s questionable in all aspect of the report. At first, they must do their thorough study about the subject matter.

With the study that the research group did, they want to pin down MC and lack of the scientific merit over economic analysis. If they want to prove that Wongchuking-owned company lied to the government, they must have gathered info about it. They must publish the facts not damaging somebody’s reputation.

Does the merger conglomerate’s way to destroy Mighty Corporation by spreading fictitious lies on a research study? If yourread the study, they put Mighty on trial. On the said report, the data computed called Lowest Cost Assumption that lead to the conclusion that the Bulacan-based company is doing their business at a loss. The company were able to sell 1 peso per stick due to the cost efficiently.

How come they repeatedly said that Mighty Corporation didn’t abide the law? In 2013, the company paid 8 billion pesos in tax. Why did they mudslinging Mighty Corporation and accused tax evasion? I hope the government also check the history of the merger done by PMFTC and their lawsuits by their employees.

Mighty Corporation Growth to Benefit Local Farmers

Filipino-owned cigarette manufacturing company Mighty Corporation or Mighty Corp announced recently that it will increase its yield on local tobacco leaves purchases to help an estimate of three million farmers and their dependents in the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley region.

According to Mighty Corp Executive Vice President Oscar Barrientos, the company’s domestic market share dramatically increased from 5% in 2012 to 20% in 2013.

“We have earned our fair share of the market by making affordable cigarettes sold to the mass market.  We’re proud of our modest success coming from a home-grown and Filipino-owned cigarette company,” said Barrientos, who also acts as the official spokesperson of Mighty Corporation.  “With a bigger share of Mighty Corp in the market today, we are giving the tobacco farmers a fair share of our success by offering competitive prices to their crops,” he added.

Mighty Corp has championed the cause of Filipino tobacco farmers since its conception by buying a large volume of low-grade tobacco leaves at great prices.

“Last year, we have bought even the low-priced tobacco leaves.  Had Mighty Corp not done that, it would have created a problem for tobacco farmers,” Barrientos claimed. “We are happy to offer better prices to tobacco farmers and are willing to tie-up with the Department of Agriculture and the National Tobacco Administration to cement our partnership with the farmers.” he added.

Barrientos also said that aside from the tobacco farmers, the whole country benefits from Mighty Corp’s business growth and success.

“Our contribution is in the form of taxes, which helps in the development of the country. We also employed more factory workers. Now, we have more than 2,000,” he said.

Mighty Corp is also expanding its corporate social responsibility projects through the Wong Chu King Foundation to help tobacco cooperatives increase their production.

“As far as CSR is concerned, we will have irrigation pumps in their area and provide mini tractors. This will come in the form of grant. We will have scholarship grants,” he said.

Barrientos assured the public that Mighty Corp has a long-term plan to further improve its market share to better help hundreds of thousands of tobacco leaf growers’ workers in the country.

Mighty Corp's Wong Chu King Foundation Restored Historical Churches

With the helping hand of the founder of Mighty Corp, Wong Chu King Foundation, they supported the seismic retrofitting of historical churches in the country. Some of the sacred churches were damaged during the killer earthquake in Bohol and Cebu last year. If you may recall that there are at least more than 10 United Nation Heritage Sites were pulverized by the killer quake. And some of them were were built during the 1800’s.

Our Catholic Church in our country are very supportive over the Wong Chu King Foundation, they already aided some of the great churches in the country. Some of their projects that they’ve done are renovation of the roofs and ceilings of Diocesan Shrine of Immaculate Conception Church in Naic, Cavite and the reconstruction of the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat Church in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. It was made possible by Mighty Corp’s founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mrs. Nelia Wongchuking.

According to Most Rev. Ricardo Baccay, Auxiliary Bishop of Tuguegarao City, he said that  the foundation’s move to help build the churches and“a step in the right direction.” “My diocese, like all dioceses, have serious concerns. If WCK is out to help, retrofitting historic churches is one of the best forms of help it can give,” Baccay added.

Meanwhile, WCKF General Manager James Vincent Navarette said that “Churches are also symbols of strength and hope for Filipinos. To see a church survive earthquakes and other calamities can easily uplift the spirits of our people,” “The devastation brought about by the recent Visayas earthquake has firmed up our advocacy to build more churches and strengthen the Filipino faith,” he added

“However, we also understand that this is not enough. We have to make sure that the design and structure of these buildings, particularly the old and existing ones, are safe and resistant to calamities such as earthquakes.”Navarette said. The WCKF foundation has been renovating churches since 2009. In 2013, they donated P300,000 for textbooks and other library materials of Lyceum de Amulung in Cagayan North, Tuguegarao City.

The said procedure, seismic retrofitting means the process of remodeling structures to make them more resistant to damage brought about by earthquakes and other seismic activities. It aims to design, build, and maintain structures to comply with building codes and withstand seismic effects while sustaining an acceptable level of damage.

Mighty Corporation supports the programs of Wong Chu King Foundation

On Mighty Corp Low-Priced Products

Bulacan-based cigarette manufacturer Mighty Corp complied with the new Sin Tax law in which implemented last January this year. The controversies over the allegation of illegal activities that the rival companies, they are spreading malicious lies online and in broadsheet. Mighty Corp stands firm with their utmost service to the Filipino people. Last November 2013, the Wongchuking-owned company increased the price of their products.

If you compare the price of PMFTC products, they are selling it on retail P51-55 per pack, but in some convenient stores, it ranges from 70-80 per pack. MC was known for its low-priced cigarettes. They accused the company on the way they market their products. More people are into quality cigarette and affordable price.

As Mighty controlled 20 percent of the country’s smoking consumers, BIR investigated over illegal practice of the company. According to Kim Jacinto-Henares, head of BIR, “If a company is selling at a loss, it is not our problem because there’s no such a law that prohibits selling at a loss. But it’s not sustainable, and we don’t know how long it can be sustained,”.

The people behind Mighty Corporation denied its allegations. They said that company managed to lower its operational cost as it does not pay royalty to foreign headquarters and has no foreign consultants. They also said that imputing fraud against the company was unfair but highly libelous and damaging. Mighty welcome the initiative of the government to examine its books. The said proposal is to ensure proper compliance of all tobacco industry players with the new Sin Tax Law.

How come PMFTC still dragging Mighty Corporation over the market share? The competitor’s market share is around 70% unlike what Mighty got. They ruled the said industry. And to think that they are hiding the merger between Fortune Tobacco in 2010, they just want to be the top t*bacco manufacturer in the country.

It’s just a competition. But with this intense rivalry with the Lucio Tan-owned company, they just want to win this battle. <strong>Mighty Corporation</strong> did the best as they can to provide excellence products that millions of Filipino supported for more than six decades.

How Mighty Corp. Became The Philippines Oldest Cigarettes Firm

Not many family-owned and managed businesses last beyond the lifetimes of their founders, often disintegrating either due to family squabbles or internal decline. A century ago and even up to the mid-20th century, the Philippines had many cigarette manufacturers but most of them have become extinct. Why? Today, the Philippine cigarette industry rakes in P150 billion per year and is a top source of national government taxes for Philhealth, education and other social services. A “hidden champion” has quietly emerged in recent years, with the oldest Filipino-owned cigarette firm Mighty Corporation — owned by the Wongchuking family since its founding in 1945 — increasing its two-percent market share in 2000 to now approximately 20 percent. Mighty Corp. has a philanthropic arm called the Wong Chu King Foundation, which honors the business founder, focusing mainly on educational, civic and religious charities. The foundation will celebrate is 36th anniversary on March 30 by inaugurating a church at Our Lady of Piat in Cagayan and also donating a new water tank to supply 240 households in Piat.

Mighty Corp Promotes Tobacco Dusts as Natural Fish Pond Conditioners

Mighty Corporation or Mighty Corp, a local cigarette manufacturer in the Philippines will donate tobacco dust to help millions of Filipino fish pond owners and operators.

Tobacco dust is known as a natural fish pond conditioner that protects local ponds from predators.

“We are going to help the National Tobacco Administration promote the use of tobacco dust by donating it to thousands of fish pond owners and operators all over the country,” said Mighty Corp Executive Vice President Oscar Barrientos

The move will not only help fish pond owners but also thousands of tobacco farmers nationwide.

“In doing so, we are helping both tobacco farmers and fish pond owners and operators increase their yield.” Barrientos added.


The National Tobacco Association (NTA) is currently promoting tobacco dust to control the population of snails and other fish pond predators.

According to NTA, tobacco dust is a more effective alternative to the highly toxic and cyanide-based chemicals that fish pond owners are currently using right now in the preparation or sterilization of fishponds.

It promotes the growth of an algae called lablab, a natural fish food that also serves as a pond floor conditioner.  Pond owners and operators use it to prepare or sterilize fish ponds before stocking fingerlings there.

Fish stocking on the other hand is the practice of raising fish in a hatchery and releasing them into a river, lake, or an ocean to supplement existing population, or to create a population where none exists.

Studies made by the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center in Tigbauan, Iloilo under Joebert Toledo confirms the efficacy of tobacco dust.  Other studies shows promising results from the use of tobacco dust as a substitute to chemical fish pond fertilizers.

NTA produces Tobacco Dust Plus at a plant in Sto. Tomas, La Union, where leaves are re-dried and pulverized.

Mighty Corp aims to help local tobacco farmers earn more by getting them to increase tobacco leaf production for alternative uses such as tobacco dusts as fish pond conditioner.

Barrientos also said that Mighty Corporation aims to increase the income of the tobacco-growing industry by buying a large quantity of tobacco leaves from local farmers all over the country.

Mighty Corp. Increases Tobacco Purchase from Local Farmers

The oldest Filipino-owned cigarette manufacturer, Mighty Corp., announced that it will substantially increase its tobacco purchase from domestic farmers nationwide.

This is in line with the company's recent expansion due to the implementation of Republic Act 10351 or the Sin Tax Reform Law last 2012.

Mighty Corp. already submitted Letter of Intent to National Tobacco Administration for the planned increase of tobacco purchase.

The increase purchase will not only help Mighty Corp. compete in the tobacco industry effectively, but will also assure local farmers that the company will continue to support them.

Mighty Corporation in Efforts to Replace Chemical-Based Pesticides with Eco-Friendly Ones

Mighty Corp. shows their concern for the environment as they urge local farmers to use alternative pesticides in their plantations. If followed rigorously , this will not only result in a healthier environment, but will also yield greater income for the local farmers.

This will also help cease the reliance local farmers on chemical-based pesticides and discover other ways to take care of their harvests. According to the vice president and spokesperson of Mighty Corp., this was part of the company's corporate social responsibility thrust. He also added that more and more local farmers are shifting from chemical-based pesticides to organic-based ones, or a combination of both.

"This trend should be encouraged" the vice president added. Mighty Corp. has been coordinating with the National Tobacco Administration (NTA), Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna (UPLB) for this cause.