Philippines
◉ EMERGING PRODUCTION · Southeast Asia
General Data
- Capital
- Manille
- Population
- 116,8 M (2025)
- Area
- 300 000 km²
- Currency
- Philippine peso (PHP)
- Language
- Filipino / English
- Timezone
- UTC+8
- GDP
- 487,1 Md$ (2025)
- Independence
- 1946 (from Spain in 1898)
Production
3.84 M cigars exported (2024)
Annual Revenue
0,44 M$ (2024)
US imports of cigars and cigarillos (HS 2402.10)
Harvest
Nov – Feb
Climate
Humid tropical monsoon
Soil
Silty clay, Cagayan
Regions
- Cagayan Valley
- Ilocos Norte
- Isabela
Varieties
- Tabac natif de Cagayan
Manufacturers
- Tabacalera
Sommelier Note
Production dating back to Spanish times.
No hand-rolling factory is known beyond the three entries — Tabacalera, Alhambra, Tabaqueria de Filipinas; Mighty, in Bulacan, is a machine factory.
Production Zones
- Cagayan Valley — Main growing area
- Ilocos Norte — Burley and Virginia
- Isabela — Artisanal production
Local industry
HISTORIC PRODUCTION
The Philippines has no Habanos representation. One of the oldest tobacco industries in the world — a Spanish monopoly from 1782 — it is under-exploited internationally today. The Cagayan Valley terroir holds real premium potential that remains largely untapped. The market is mainly domestic.
- Founded
- 1782 (Tabacalera — monopole espagnol)
- Ownership
- PMFTC (Philip Morris) + Tabacalera Philippines
- Headquarters
- Manille, Philippines
- Revenue
- ~$35M USD
- Employees
- 8 000+ (secteur tabac)
- Festival & Events
- No international cigar festival
Manufactures
Tabacalera Philippines
Tabacalera Pilipinas · Tabacalera Special Reserve
La Flor de la Isabela
Purito Filipino · La Flor artisanal
Official brands
- Tabacalera
- La Flor de la Isabela
Certifications
- BPI Philippines (Bureau of Plant Industry)
- FDA Philippines
Distribution network
- Philippines
- Marché domestique principalement
- Espagne
- Tabacalera España (liens historiques)
Iconic Brands 3
Cigar caves & lounges in Philippines 1
- Tabacalera Cigar Boutique — Intramuros Manille (adresse d'Intramuros non établie)
Shop of the Philippine manufacturer Tabacalera Incorporada, listed in Intramuros, Manila; not found on the company's website, which lists only its Makati office.