A man who practically lost his ability for speech due to smoking criticized the opening of a new warehouse of a well-known tobacco products manufacturer that opened in Subic Freeport late this month.

In a statement, Emer Rojas said the P600 million facility would seem like a big investment in the country but this is nothing compared to the sickness or deaths tobacco users incur because of the habit. “The tobacco companies would like us to think of them as benevolent investors that bring in big business to our country. But that’s very misleading. How does millions in investment compare with the billions lost to the care of those who get sick, and to the many lives lost to tobacco-related diseases?”

Rojas, a former chain-smoker, is now the head of the New Vois Association. Rojas lost his voice due to laryngeal cancer.

The group is one of the supporters of the DoH Administrative order 2010-0013 which requires picture-based warnings of tobacco-related diseases in cigarette packs. It also bans the use of words such as ‘low-tar,’ ‘light’ and ‘ultra-light.’

The AO requires that cigarette packs print pictures of tobacco-related diseases within 90 days from the effectivity of the mandate or by September 10, 2010. It has been challenged with the filing of separate injunctions from cigarette companies.