Filipino Owned Cigarette Maker Vows to Defend its Market

Filipino owned and operated integrated tobacco producer of popular low-priced cigarette brands, Mighty Corporation (MC), is now under heavy criticism from multinational corporations that are trying to monopolize the country’s multibillion-peso tobacco industry.

However, Mighty Corporation, yesterday, finally fought back within the law against its powerful competitors.

Filipino Owned Cigarette Maker Vows to Defend its Market

 

 

“We assure our loyal customers, bankers, retailers, wholesalers and employees that we will not remain passive against the subterfuge and other malicious and damaging trickeries employed by our competitors in trying to destroy our business." said MC's  legal counsel, Atty. Miguelito Ocampo.

As taken from a newspaper report that multinational tobacco firm Philip Morris and its partner Fortune Tobacco Corporation (PMFTC), have been complaining that MC has taken bulk of the market share by selling one-peso-per stick cigarettes by illegal withdrawals and misdeclaration of imported raw materials, Ocampo asked, “How could this be when the Bureau of Customs and the Bureau of Internal Revenue tightly and closely monitor our shipments, manufacturing, withdrawals and marketing.”

“This is the kind of fallacious and damaging reasoning that our competitors have systematically disseminated to the public to destroy our company.” Ocampo adding that selling of low-priced cigarettes is allowed under the new sin tax law or Republic Act 10351.

“This kind of disinformation does not only undermine the integrity of our revenue authorities but also deceives the public, consumers in particular, to create a hatred against our company and in the process undermine our market.” he added.

“What they don’t tell the public, however, is that PMFTC is also selling low-priced cigarettes similar to our brand Mighty. In fact, it has four brands selling at one-peso-per stick – Champion M. King, Champion M 100, Jackpot M 100’s and Westpoint Filter King.” Ocampo reiterated.

“If our brands are selling more and have eaten their market, it’s not our fault.” he said.

“Besides, they cannot deny that our cigarettes have different smell, flavor and aromatic taste and are exceptionally smooth, mellow and attractively packaged aside from the fact that our cigarettes are produced comparatively at lower cost and that they are made by Filipinos for the Filipinos in this deregulated country where profit-oriented foreigners and their local partners always wanted to rule the industry.” added MC's legal counsel.

He also said that there is a need for an anti-trust law to protect local producers, not only against price monopoly but other unfair practices of powerful multinational corporations as well.