The Tobacco monopoly was established in Cagayan Valley in 1785 were the industry flourished as the main commerce in the territory.
Spanish Galleon “San Clemente” brought into the archipelago 200 ounces of Cuban Tobacco seeds which found its way to the valley by friars who saw the rich soil and favorable climate to grow the plant.
Although the revenues from the industry dropped in 1788 due to rampant smuggling of Tobacco leaves by Igorot natives from the neighboring Cordillera, Spanish authorities did not took the problem serious.
In 1881, the Compania General de Tabacos de Filipinas S.A. - Compania de Filipinas popularly known as Tabacalera was founded in November 26 by Antonio Lopez, the first Marquis of Comillas.
Lopez was a financial genius in his times as his influence extend to the Spanish King whom he counted among his personal friends. His tobacco enterprise took over the existing tobacco monopolies of the colonial government. He successfully it took management of five tobacco plants.
Among its plants is located in the City of Nueva Segovia (now Lallo, Cagayan) where the industry played a vital role in the economic development of the Alcadia.
In 1895, Tabacalera expanded and opened its factory – the “La Flor de Isabela” in Ilagan. It acquired properties in what is known as the Haciendas San Antonio, Sta. Isabel (Ilagan) and Hacienda San Luis (Cauayan) in Cagayan Valley.
The Lopez business empire expanded and has also established the Tabacalera Insurance Company and its own shipping business- the Compania Transatantica.
The company enjoyed the privileges from the Spanish Monarch until the outset of the Philippine revolution in 1898. Tabacalera lost its special status with the entry of the American colonial government where the company has to adjust and compete with other world market players in the industry.
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