MANILA, Philippines -- Despite the law prohibiting cigarette advertisements, the number of young smokers has gone up, prompting the Department of Health to warn that tobacco-related deaths will continue to rise in the future.

The 2007 Global Tobacco Youth Survey (GYTS) conducted by the World Health Organization showed that one in every three Filipino teenagers aged 13 to 15 are already smokers, despite the existence of Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003.

The DOH has thrown the towel in having a new law passed before Congress adjourns next week that would require cigarette makers to use graphic health warnings to discourage smokers and would-be smokers.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said he would appeal to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to certify the bill on cigarette graphic health warnings as urgent.

?If nothing is done, every other Filipino teenager would be smoking by 2011,? Duque said at a news briefing ahead of the observance of World No Tobacco Day on Sunday.

Duque said having prominent picture messages warning of the dangers of smoking on the front and back of cigarette packages would help discourage Filipinos especially the youth from buying cigarettes.

He said the government was spending an equivalent of $2.2 billion a year to treat patients with smoking-related illnesses, compared to the $26 million it was earning from cigarette taxes annually.

?That?s a lot of money that we?re spending just trying to reverse the progress of chronic illnesses like cancer, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases,? he said.

?That?s why we would like to increase the sin taxes to make it more expensive for people to keep the vice and easier for them to kick the habit,? he added.