PMFTC Inc. bags international business award

Saturday, October 15, 2011

AN ENVIRONMENTAL project of PMFTC Inc. for tobacco farmers in Northern Luzon won the prestigious and much-coveted Environmental Responsibility Program of the Year award in the 2011 International Business Awards for Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

The International Business Awards, more popularly known as the Stevie Awards, is a global, all-encompassing business awards program honoring great performances in business.

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The award-giving body said PMFTC’s "Reforestation through Cooperative Organizing & Capability Building for Tobacco Farmers" bested more than 3,000 entries from 40 nations.

“Belonging to the winners’ circle is a major feat for us,” said PMFTC president Chris Nelson. “It means we are on the right track with our multi-faceted ‘Embrace’ program.” Embrace represents the company’s contributions in education, environment, livelihood, health, and disaster relief.

The seed of its environment project started in 2001, when Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing Inc. (PMPMI) embarked on a massive reforestation program involving its leaf suppliers, as well as non-government organizations and public schools in the Ilocos Region and other parts of the country.

The project received a boost in 2008 when PMFTC partnered with farmers in La Union and Ilocos Sur, as well as with the Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation, Inc. (JVOFI), to organize and strengthen local cooperatives through livelihood programs and the establishment of fuelwood plantations.

The farmers were also trained on how to manage these plantations so they could expand and sustain it. Seedlings of gemelina, madre de cacao, acacia, mangiamo, and ipil-ipil were also provided.

Nelson said fuel sources are important to its business because tobacco industry is dependent on the availability of fuelwood and bamboo to cure tobacco.

PMFTC then decided to broaden its reforestation project to include the establishment of eight fuelwood plantations in the towns of Santol, Sudipen and Bangar in La Union; San Emilio, San Juan, Sta. Cruz, Lidlidda and Banayoyo, all in Ilocos Sur. It also added four bamboo plantations in Cagayan province.

Since then, the project has spawned 12 other cooperatives across the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions. One cooperative, the Barangay Corro-oy Farmers Cooperative of Santol in the province of La Union, was named model client for 2010 by JVOFI for its sustainable management of fuelwood plantation. The group now has 10 hectares of barren mountain land planted with various trees.

Nelson said the project was conceptualized in recognition of the company’s social obligation to contribute to environmental protection efforts.

“I am delighted with this accomplishment. It validates our company’s unfailing advocacy to support its communities.” Nelson said.

Nicknamed the Stevie® for the Greek word “crowned”, the award was presented to honorees at a gala event at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Mauricio Victa)