The Provincial Government of Pampanga convened an inter-agency coordination meeting on 4 March 2026 to strengthen efforts against illegal cigarette manufacturing and storage operations in the province.
Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda, chairperson of the Provincial Peace and Order Council, led the meeting with several national and local government agencies to address the growing problem of illicit cigarette operations.
Among the agencies present were the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Region, Regional Highway Patrol Unit 3, Bureau of Customs–Port of Clark, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Pampanga, Philippine National Police (PNP) Pampanga Provincial Office, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Pampanga.
Pineda said stronger coordination among agencies is necessary to fully dismantle illegal operations in the province.
“Mahalaga ang mas mahigpit na koordinasyon upang tuluyang masugpo ang mga ilegal na operasyon na nakaaapekto sa ekonomiya at kaligtasan ng publiko,” she added.
Former president and current Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also attended the meeting and expressed support for the province’s intensified campaign against illegal cigarette manufacturing.
The issue has drawn national attention following several recent raids on illegal warehouses and factories in the towns of Mexico, San Simon and the City of San Fernando.
Also present during the meeting were 2nd District Board Member Atty. Claire Lim, chairperson of the Committee on Peace and Order; Executive Assistant IV Angelina Blanco; PGENRO Engr. Arthur Punsalan; and PEO Engr. Noli Pangan.
Authorities have recently intensified operations against large-scale illegal cigarette manufacturing in Pampanga, uncovering a network of unauthorized factories and storage facilities.
On 28 and 29 January, a raid on a warehouse in Barangay Panipuan, Mexico, Pampanga uncovered a factory producing cigarette brands such as “Two Moon,” “Mighty,” and “Playboy.” Six Chinese nationals were arrested while 65 Filipino workers were rescued.
Further operations conducted on 13 and 16 February in San Simon and San Fernando uncovered multiple abandoned warehouses. One site in San Simon contained more than ₱70 million worth of illicit cigarettes, while another facility in San Fernando was found producing illegal products.
Authorities said recent operations have seized equipment and raw materials valued at more than ₱400 million, with some factories capable of producing up to ₱160 million worth of cigarettes daily.