Cigar making kept alive in Philippines

(Malaya Business Insight) Tabaqueria de Filipinas, one of the two remaining companies making cigars in the country, is keeping the tradition of hand-rolling cigars, competing favorably with world leaders Cuba, Dominican Republic and Mexico.
Tirso Ripoll, sales manager of Tabaqueria and son of the company’s founder Gabriel Jr., said the world is looking at the Philippines for mid-priced cigars.
“Every cigar we make is lovingly handmade,” he said. “Most of our rollers are women. They go through a special training and apprenticeship before they can handle the more premium brands like the Independencia,” he said. Continued