MANILA, Philippines - Timothy, a smoker, said he began using cigarettes at the age of 18. He has been hooked to the vice for three years.

"Kapag kasi natikman mo, nakakaadik na ang sigarilyo," he said.

Since smoking can be very addictive, Timothy said he is having a hard time kicking the habit.

But he should quit before he starts getting sick, warned the Department of Health (DOH), which claimed that ten Filipinos die of tobacco-related diseases every hour, or more than 200 a day.

It said that smokers aged 15 and above who keep on smoking will be prone to diseases such as stroke, heart attack and cancer in just ten years.

"Puwede silang magkaroon ng stroke, heart attack, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, at diabetes," said Dr. Tony Leachon, DOH consultant on non-communicable diseases.

The severity of the disease, Leachon said, depends on how many cigarettes a person consumes on a regular basis.

The Philippines has over 17 million male smokers, according to the DOH. On the other hand, there are more than 14 female smokers in the country.

The agency hopes that the Senate will soon pass the sin tax bill, which will impose higher taxes on cigarettes, to help curb the habit in the country.

The Philippines is currently among the Top 20 countries with large smoking populations, it noted. -- Report from Sol Aragones, ABS-CBN News; ANC