Philip Morris International (PMI) is set to establish before the end of 2007 a regional leaf warehouse at the Subic Freeport in Zambales at an estimated cost of USD 600 million.

This was revealed by PMI Philippines president Christopher James Nelson when he paid a courtesy call to Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the presidential palace on Friday.
Nelson said once the regional leaf warehouse is in place, all tobacco leaf harvests in the country and in the region would be stored there and would be shipped to other PMI manufacturing firms all over the world.
"This will tremendously help our tobacco farmers in the North…their production will increase," Senator Richard Gordon, who accompanied Nelson, said.
Gordon further said that PMI is planning to negotiate with Thailand the sale of Philippines-manufactured PMI cigarettes in that country.