The BARMM and the Zamboanga Peninsula have emerged as areas of concern in the fight against illicit cigarettes.
A study commissioned by the Philippine Tobacco Institute found that BARMM recorded an illicit cigarette rate of 85.6%, and Region IX recorded 81% from Nov 2025 to Feb 2026. The problem persists in parts of Mindanao despite the national rate declining.
Lanao del Sur posted the highest illegal cigarette incidence rate among the provinces at 93.5%, followed by Zamboanga Sibugay at 87.5%, Zamboanga del Sur at 81.4%, Maguindanao at 77%, and Region X at 54.8%.
The incidence rate of illicit cigarettes nationwide has fallen to 16.3% from 17.6% in the previous survey. According to PTI, this was the first drop in five years.
These figures show that progress in the fight against the illicit cigarette trade is very uneven. The rates in BARMM and the Zamboanga Peninsula are well above the national average.
PTI President Bayen Elero-Tinga stated that the continued sale of the illicit cigarettes is in part a result of the increasing price differential between the legal product and the untaxed contraband.
She pointed out that the price differential is exploited by criminal networks, particularly as annual tax increases mean that the price of legal tobacco products goes up.
“Progress may be possible, but the problem remains far too large. We must continue strengthening enforcement, particularly in high-incidence areas,” Elero-Tinga said, according to a GMA News report. She also said the work to combat illicit tobacco is still well underway.
As per the Business Mirror, a separate study by the EU-ASEAN Business Council found that illicit cigarettes accounted for 25.3% of all cigarette consumption in the Philippines in 2025. That provides another perspective on the size of the national illicit cigarette market. The figures are not directly comparable, as the studies used different methodologies and time periods.
The PTI called for tougher enforcement, particularly in areas where the rate of illicit cigarettes is high, as the authorities continue their work to curb the distribution of untaxed tobacco.
These findings point to BARMM and the Zamboanga Peninsula as areas of concern for the authorities and enforcement agencies, who are still grappling with a very much alive illegal cigarette market despite the national figures improving.
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