A sharp rise in road crashes and the death of a young victim in Cebu City have prompted Sen. Bam Aquino to push for urgent changes to the country’s drunk and drugged driving law, warning that enforcement gaps continue to place young Filipinos at risk.
Aquino filed Senate Bill No. 2068 to amend Republic Act No. 10586, or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013. He cited Department of Health data showing that road crashes remain one of the leading causes of death among the youth.
DOH figures recorded 1,555 road crashes during Holy Week 2026, a 255.8% increase from the same period last year.
He said the law has failed to keep pace with current road conditions. “What was intended to be a strong deterrent has not kept pace with the realities on our roads. Too many families continue to lose loved ones. Too many drivers still take the risk of getting behind the wheel while impaired. And too often, accountability comes too late, or not at all.”
The proposal draws urgency from the death of 23-year-old Kingston Ralph Cheng in a hit-and-run incident in Cebu City on Feb. 8, 2026, a tragic case that exposed a critical gap in enforcement. The suspect in the case was not immediately tested, allowing the alcohol level to dissipate and weakening the ability to establish intoxication. “Under the current law, a driver can evade liability simply by avoiding immediate testing. This is unacceptable; justice should not depend on how long someone can delay enforcement,” he said.
The bill lowers blood alcohol limits to 0.02% for novice and professional drivers and 0.03% for private motorists. It requires chemical testing within two hours and applies implied consent, meaning a license carries agreement to testing. It also allows retrograde extrapolation to estimate alcohol levels at the time of driving.
The measure includes stricter penalties, mandatory alcohol safety programs and ignition interlock devices for repeat offenders. Aquino said the proposal follows a Vision Zero approach, adding that no road death should be accepted as unavoidable.
