By Paulo Loreto Lim

The  Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) recently called on the Philippine national government to issue new graphic health warnings for tobacco products. The group hoped the new warnings would roll out over the weekend.

“It is important that health warnings and images are changed after a certain period to enhance and maintain the maximum impact over time,” said Dr. Ulysses Dorotheo of SEATCA. “We call on the [Department of Health] to ensure that all tobacco products carry the new set of warnings.”

The group cited RA 10643, or the Graphic Health Warnings Law, which mandates tobacco companies to print such warning labels on their products, claiming, “Graphic health warnings have been shown to be more effective in conveying the truth about the dangers of exposure and consumption of tobacco smoke.”

SEATCA also called for the Bureau of Internal Revenue to refrain from providing excise tax stamps to products not printed with new warnings.

SEATCA is an organization active in all countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The group envisions a healthy and sustainable ASEAN free from tobacco./PLL, WDJ