Martes, Abril 22, 2014

Mighty Corp doubling tobacco orders in Northern Luzon

Mighty Corp., a Bulacan based tobacco manufacturer in the country announced that they are pursuing to buy 10 million kilograms of tobacco products worth millions of pesos from farmers in Northern Luzon.

In the letter of intent that Mighty executive vice president Oscar Barrientos sent to National Tobacco Administration administrator Edgardo Zaragoza says that the company will buy tobacco from farmers 100 percent more than the five million kilograms his firm bought in 2013.

“This is to assure our tobacco farmers of our willingness to help in response to the published report of the market leader in the tobacco industry to lessen production this year,” Barrientos said.

Mighty Corporation has been importing raw materials from foreign countries at low prices and is no longer buying tobacco from local farmers.

Martes, Abril 15, 2014

Wong Chu King Foundation turned over church in Naic

One of the historical landmarks in Naic was recently turned over by the people behind Mighty Corp’s charitable arm, Wong Chu King Foundation.

The Diocesan Shrine of the Immaculate Heart in Naic, Cavite is one of the country’s oldest and largest churches. It was an ante-bellum Spanish colonial structure and as a reminder of the Dominican Parish in 1849.

The Wong Chu King Foundation called their deed as a duty to church and society.

“We cannot allow this historic church to go into a state of disrepair,” said Alex Wongchuking, Executive Director of the said foundation.

The charitable institution has been devoted its resources to rebuilding churches in the country since 2009. Also, they are helping the poor get education and doing other charitable works.

“The church strengthened the Filipino faith and it stands as a mute witness to the martyrdom of the defenders of Philippine freedom and nationhood,” Wongchuking said.

The said church was built by the Spanish friars which has a low-roofed stone structure in 1835. Eventually, it was rebuilt and completed with a neo-Gothic convent complex in 1872. The church in Naic played a big role in the fight of Filipinos for independence against Spanish, American and Japanese conquerors.

Aside from the fact the foundation is the social arm of Mighty Corporation, the church in Naic started to renovate last February 2014 and made a symbolic turnover to church officials last March 30, the foundation’s 24th anniversary.

According to Cavite Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista says that he was grateful and said the restoration of the church to its original architecture will “encourage people to grow in their faith, in a life of prayer and in a life of holiness, which is God’s desire for all of us.”

He also added that the church’s the roof and the walls were crumbling and the church’s interior gradually deteriorating. Suddenly, Wong Chu King Foundation came in and offered them to rebuild the church.

“With this beautiful church, one can say that the presence of God is really felt by the people,” Bishop Evangelista said.

In addition to rebuilding the church, the foundation also built a new garden with a fountain, Navarette said.

“The project aims to maintain the original structure, essence and sanctity of the church,” he said.

Lunes, Abril 7, 2014

Wong Chu King Foundation offers scholarships

Wong Chu King Foundation, the corporate social responsibility partner of Mighty Corp, a Bulacan based tobacco manufacturer in the country helping out poor yet deserving students to receive scholarship grants.

“Education is known to be a powerful equalizer. It gives children from low-income families a fighting chance to uplift themselves and their families from poverty and lead productive and meaningful lives.” Mighty Corp president Edilberto Adan said.

Adan added that the educational assistance that the foundation given which consists of 100 college scholarship grants for the children of tobacco farmers in Northern Luzon.

“Formal schooling is often too expensive and priced well beyond the reach of the poor, including tobacco farmers,” he said.

The said scholarship program is one of three components of a P10-million joint CSR project of Mighty Corp. and the National Federation of Tobacco Farmers and Cooperatives Inc. which aims to benefit 65,000 farmers in the northern part of Luzon.

“This is our way of thanking the farmers for helping to make our company what it is today,” said Adan.

“We are happy that Mighty Corporation, through its Wong Chu King Foundation, has stood firm on its commitment to help 65,000 tobacco farmers in the Philippines,” said Mario Cabasal, NAFTAC national president.

Meanwhile, according to Mighty Corp’s executive vice president and spokesperson Oscar Barrientos said the Wong Chu King Foundation initially offered scholarships to the dependents of active MC employees but it was expanded for dependents of retired Mighty employees and unfortunate but deserving students with excellent academic records.

“Through this program, we hope to help the farmers and their children become competitive in the global market and earn sustainable incomes,” Barrientos said.

The scholarship program is in support of the National Tobacco Administration’s scholarship program for poor but deserving graduating high school students and dependents of tobacco farmers.

The foundation currently has six high school and 14 college students on scholarship in various schools nationwide. Two of its college scholars graduated last year.

Martes, Abril 1, 2014

Mighty Corp’s foundation cited by their apostolic works

Mighty Corp, a Bulacan based manufacturer of tobacco cited by their overwhelming apostolic works. Thru their foundation, Wong Chu King Foundation prioritized over charitable deeds and Catholic education in its programs and projects.

According to Bishop Rodolfo Beltran of San Fernando City said Mighty and Wong Chu King Foundation has donated to church projects and funded the education of poor students in Lagawe, Bontoc, including 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.

The foundation 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.

Auxiliary Bishop Ricardo Baccay of Tuguegarao City describes the foundation’s work as “a step in the direction ... if Wong Chu King 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, chariman of the board of trustees of the foundation. 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.”

Martes, Marso 25, 2014

Mighty Corp strengthen their goal by buying tobacco products

Mighty Corp., a tobacco manufacturer based in Bulacan vowed to buy 10 million kilograms of tobacco products worth millions of pesos from farmers in Northern Luzon.

In a letter of intent by Mighty executive vice president Oscar Barrientos to National Tobacco Administration administrator Edgardo Zaragoza said they would buy tobacco from farmers 100 percent more than the five million kilograms his firm bought in 2013.

This is to assure our tobacco farmers of our willingness to help in response to the published report of the market leader in the tobacco industry to lessen production this year,” Barrientos said.

The said letter of intent also debunked critics’ allegations that Mighty Corp has been importing raw materials from foreign countries at low prices and is no longer buying tobacco from local farmers.

Critics are resorting to a smear campaign using malicious data that can pinned down Mighty’s tremendous increase of its market shares.

Mighty Corp’s market shares went up after the government implemented the Sin Tax Law. And this is the reasons why smokers switched to premium and sub-premium cigarettes to low-priced cigarettes.

Martes, Marso 18, 2014

Mighty Corp sealed an agreement for outreach projects in the North

Bulacan-based tobacco manufacturer, Mighty Corp signed an agreement that paves the way for outreach projects for tobacco farmers in the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley provinces.

Mighty president retired General Edilberto Adan and vice president retired Judge Oscar Barrientos signed an agreement with the National Federation of Tobacco Growers’ Association and Cooperatives represented by its national president Mario Cabasal. The joint projects aim to uplift tobacco farmers under the former’s corporate social responsibility program.

Mighty Corp has already delivered 90 diesel-fed water pumps and 16 units of power tillers to various farm groups in the provinces of Abra, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Isabela and Cagayan.

There are also plans to support the NTA’s yearly search for the best tobacco farmers in the country. NTA Administrator Edgar D. Zaragoza said Mighty’s CSR will boost the tobacco industry.

“The more players dealing directly with the farmers, the better and merrier,” he said.

“This should encourage other industry players to do the same to help the tobacco farmers and their families," he added.

Martes, Marso 11, 2014

Mighty Corp pursued their good deed thru corporate social responsibility projects

Filipino-owned manufacturer of cigarettes, Mighty Corp pursued social responsibility projects thru Wong Chu King Foundation.  They have commended by San Fernando City Bishop. Rodolfo Beltran. He said that Mighty helped them to spread the faith in the Philippines and for prioritizing apostolic works and education in its programs and projects.

According to Beltran, the said foundation donated to church projects and also funded the education of deserving students in Lagawe, Bontoc. The lucky beneficiaries are four seminarians and students of vocational courses.

The parents of these students are low-income farmers producing only for local consumption,” the bishop said. “So you can imagine the positive impact this kind of support has for them.

The bishop also praised Mighty Corp for their outreach project launched for 65,000 organized tobacco farmers of Northern Luzon. He has witnessed the signing of an agreement on the project between Mighty and 200 farmer leaders of the National Federation of Tobacco Farmers and Cooperatives Inc. from Pangasinan, La Union, Abra, Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.
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Under the memorandum agreement between the two, Mighty will donate 16 hand tractors worth P2.5 million and 90 irrigation pumps worth P1.1 million to the farmers.

“I’m quite happy about all these projects. It’s a big lift for our farmers, not only in La Union but also the whole of Northern Luzon,” Beltran said. “This is something very beautiful as the hand tractors and water pumps encourage our farmers to use modern methods of agriculture.”

Aside from the donations, Wong Chu King Foundation did the renovation of the Basilica Minore of the Our Lady of Piat Church in Piat, Cagayan in 2012, and Diocesan Shrine of Immaculate Conception in Naic, Cavite.

Auxiliary Ricardo Baccay of Tuguegarao City described WCKF’s work as “a step in the right direction. My diocese, like all dioceses, have serious concerns. If WCKF is out to help schools, putting up libraries is the best form of help it can give.”

For many years, I have personally known Mrs. Nelia Wong Chu King, WCKF chairman of the board of trustees,” said Archbishop Emeritus Diosdado Talamayan of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao City. “She and her family are great devotees of Our Lady of Piat, and 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.

Meanwhile, Archbishop Rolando Tirona of the Archdiocese of Caceres in Naga City, Camarines Sur describes the owner of Mighty Corp as an upright family and said it was “highly uncharacteristic for them to be involved in the illicit trade practices of technical smuggling and tax evasion.”