AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–The Department of Health (DOH) is finalizing the designs of the graphic health warnings to be placed on cigarette packs and released by September, a health official was quoted as saying Thursday.

In a report over Radyo Inquirer 990 AM, Luz Tagunicar, DOH National Center for Health Promotion Supervising Officer, said that the release of the template of graphic health warnings on cigarette packs was in accordance with Republic Act (RA) 10643 or “An Act to Effectively Instill Health Consciousness through Graphic Health Warnings on Tobacco Products” which was signed by President Benigno Aquino III into law last July 15.

However, New Vois Association of the Philippines President Emer Rojas said that the graphic health warnings would only be seen by the public on 2016 as tobacco companies would be given a year from the release of initial graphic health warning templates by DOH to comply with the law.

Under Section 15 of RA 10643, DOH is given 30 days to release a maximum of 12 initial templates of the graphic health warnings which will be placed on cigarette packs.
 

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