[Intl-tobacco] Philippine President Praises Philip Morris (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

"Philippine Daily Inquirer", 13/7/01
URL: http://www.inq7.net/nat/2001/jul/13/text/nat_8-1-p.htm

Gloria lauds cigarette plant,
health chief snubs rites
By Juliet L. Javellana
Inquirer News Service

STO. TOMAS, Batangas -- Even though her health secretary skipped the
groundbreaking rites for its state-of-the-art P16-billion cigarette
manufacturing facility here, President Macapagal-Arroyo hailed Philip
Morris as a =93socially conscious=94 cigarette manufacturer and welcomed it=
s
investment in the country.

Ms Macapagal was all praises for the decision of Philip Morris, the
world=92s biggest cigarette company, to locate its =93Asian jewel=94 in the
country despite the recent negative publicity the Philippines has been
generating.

The $300-million facility, to be set up on a 25-hectare lot at the First
Philippine Industrial Park, will be fully operational by 2003 and will
become Philip Morris=92 regional hub. It will manufacture Marlboro and
Philip Morris cigarettes to be sold around Asia.

Flying in from Tabaco, Albay, where she checked into the condition of Mt.
Mayon evacuees, the President said the groundbreaking was =93an important
event not just for Philip Morris but for the Philippine economy.=94

=93To those who are saying the Philippine economy is going down, listen to
this--P16 billion in new investments,=94 she said in her speech.

=93How is that for an expression of support and faith in the investment
climate in the Philippines?=94 she said.

George Farrah, Philip Morris Philippines managing director, and Philip
Morris Asia president Duck Song said their choice of the Philippines for
the company=92s regional hub was an affirmation of their faith in its
economy.

=93Our manufacturing plant... is the biggest investment by Philip Morris in
Asia and it is a clear manifestation of Philip Morris=92 long-term
confidence in the Philippines,=94 Farrah said in his speech.

=93We are here to stay, We have a stake in the success and development of
the country and we hope to make a meaningful difference in the lives of
the Filipino people,=94 Farrah said.

Farrah admitted, however, that Philip Morris manufactures and sells a
=93risky product.=94

=93Madame President, ladies and gentlemen, we do realize that we are
manufacturing and selling a risky product and that is why we firmly
believe that cigarette smoking is a decision adults and only adults should
make,=94 Farrah said.

=93As a responsible corporate citizen, we are firmly committed to respond t=
o
society=92s concerns both in the Philippines and worldwide regarding
smoking,=94 he added.

Philip Morris is one of the companies ordered to pay an unprecedented $3
billion in punitive damages to cancer-stricken Richard Boeken in the US.

In November 1998, 46 US states endorsed a $206-billion settlement for
cigarette smokers who contracted lung cancer and other smoking-related
ailments.

In her speech, the President revealed how Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit
intentionally avoided joining her at the groundbreaking rites.

She said Dayrit was with her in Albay, along with Social Welfare Secretary
Dinky Soliman and Agriculture Secretary Leonardo Montemayor, but somehow
was =93unable to find his way=94 to the Philip Morris event.

Former President Fidel Ramos and local officials of Batangas were present
at the 1:15 p.m. rites.

=93But after we heard from you today, I think the government can express it=
s
support and endorsement of Philip Morris=92 program to prevent smoking by
the youth and I urge Philip Morris to coordinate closely with (Dayrit) to
find ways of expanding the scope of the Youth Smoking-Prevention Program
(YSPP) so that next time he won=92t mind coming here to see the jobs that
you are creating,=94 Ms Macapagal said.

Farrah explained that Philip Morris has implemented the YSPP to =93keep
cigarettes away from children.=94

In the Philippines, he said Philip Morris is working with various
institutions, including educators, retailers and the cigarette industry to
promote programs that will discourage the young from smoking. =A92001
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