Mighty Corporation observes 71st anniversary

After World War II, China-born Wong Chu King put up La Campana Fabrica de Tabacos and began his business venture in the Philippines. His business grew and expanded to rice milling, trading, insurance and construction. Now, named Mighty Corporation, King’s company engages in various socio-civic projects like restoring old Philippine churches, providing water to remote communities and sending deserving poor students to school. Mighty is turning 71 on Sept. 20, 2016. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Mighty Corporation, the leader in the “cigarillos” market in the Philippines, observes its 71st anniversary on Sept. 20, 2016.

The company, founded in 1945 right after the end of World War II by Wong Chu King, now provides jobs to thousands of Filipinos in the cigarette industry. It has also spearheaded socio-civic projects especially on the restoration of churches in Luzon, providing water supply to communities, and providing scholarships annually to deserving children of its workers.

King, who was born in China but migrated to the Philippines to seek greener pastures, found himself suffering alone as war broke out. It was during the war years that he witnessed the fall of Manila, the horrible deaths, shattered lives and families separated in combat.

Surviving those difficult years, he vowed to help Filipinos rebuild their lives.

He put up a small factory named La Campana Fabrica de Tabacos that ventured into the cigarette business. It was tough at first—he did almost everything from blending the tobacco to being salesman, deliveryman, collector, cashier, and product promoter. His perseverance and sacrifice paid off as the business grew.

When he married a Filipina named Nelia, he found in her a partner who helped him expand into other businesses such as tobacco processing, rice milling, buying and selling of goods, insurance and construction. The company name was also changed to Mighty Corporation (MC).

Today, MC is a fully integrated tobacco company located at a 9-hectare property in Malolos, Bulacan.  The area includes a complete threshing and redrying plant, which supply the necessary requirements for MC’s cigarette manufacturing operations.