Strengthening the Anti-drunk and Drugged Driving Act
Filed on May 4, 2026, and referred to the Committees on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs and Public Services; it has been pending in committee since then with no recorded action.
The bill addresses road safety and enforcement of driving regulations.
The bill responds to ongoing concerns about road safety and the effectiveness of current laws.
Strengthening the Anti-drunk and Drugged Driving Act
This bill aims to strengthen the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act by amending existing provisions to improve enforcement and increase penalties for violations related to driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
Compared with current law:
Current penalties for driving under the influence are lower and less defined.
Penalties are increased significantly, with fines up to ₱1,000,000 for homicide and stricter enforcement measures.
The bill increases penalties significantly: for non-injury violations, fines will range from ₱50,000 to ₱200,000; for violations resulting in physical injuries, fines will range from ₱250,000 to ₱500,000; and for homicide, fines will range from ₱500,000 to ₱1,000,000.
Source · full text✦ Dashed tags are AI-suggested nuance; solid tags follow the committee taxonomy.
Stalled: the bill has sat in committee for over five months with no action since its referral on May 6, 2026.
No floor deliberations yet — this measure has not reached plenary. Its committee-stage actions appear under Legislative history above.
Senate Silice of tue Storeracy TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES MAY -4 P2:49 First Regular Session SENATE RECEIVED BY: S. No. 2078 Introduced by Senator Francis G. Escudero STRENGTHENING MECHANISMS AGAINST DRIVING UNDER THE MECHANTSMS AGA INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL, DANGEROUS DRUGS, AND OTHER SIMILAR SUBSTANCES, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10586, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ANTI-DRUNK AND DRUGGED DRIVING ACT OF 2013" EXPLANATORY NOTE Republic Act No. 10586, or the Anti-Drunk And Drugged Driving Act of 2013, was enacted during the Fifteenth Congress in recognition of the need to promote road safety and to deter persons under the influence of alcohol, dangerous drugs and other intoxicating substances from operating motor vehicles. While the law provided the needed enforcement framework, a decade of its implementation has revealed critical gaps in standards and practices that are no longer adequate in addressing present- day realities. This bill, in recognition of the wisdom behind House Bill No. 8939 filed by the Representative of the Second Congressional District of Cebu City, seeks to rectify these gaps in standards and enforcement through several key interventions. First, it proposes clear and definitive blood alcohol concentration thresholds anchored on the risks and dangers associated with the vehicle type and driver classification. Second, it requires the responding law enforcement officers to conduct, within a two-hour window, field sobriety test, breath analyzer, chemical test, and drug screening and confirmatory test - thereby upholding the integrity and reliability of evidence and minimizing opportunities for evasion or delay. Third, it increases the penalties imposed under Republic Act No. 10586 to restore the deterrent effect of the law while ensuring that the penalties remain meaningful and proportionate. Lastly, it introduces interventions to ensure compliance and accountability of law enforcement officers by penalizing unjustified failure or refusal to conduct the necessary tests within the prescribed period.
Ultimately, these interventions seek to ensure that the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013 remains responsive and enforceable - a law that upholds safety on all public roads and promotes responsible behavior among the motoring public. In view of the foregoing, the approval of this measure is earnestly sought. FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO
Senate Offier of the Serrelary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 26 MAY -4 P2:49 First Regular Session RECEIVED BY SENATE S. No. 2078 Introduced by Senator Francis G. Escudero AN ACT STRENGTHENING MECHANISMS AGAINST DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL, DANGEROUS DRUGS, AND OTHER SIMILAR SUBSTANCES, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10586, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ANTI-DRUNK AND DRUGGED DRIVING ACT OF 2013" Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assemble
Section 1. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 10586 is hereby amended to read as
follows: "SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act: "(a) xxx. "xxx. "(e) Driving under the influence of alcohol refers to the act of operating a motor vehicle while the driver's blood alcohol concentration level has, after being subjected to a breath analyzer test, reached [the] A level of intoxication L, as established jointly by the Department of Health (DOH), the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) and the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC)] AS PROVIDED IN THIS ACT: PROVIDED, THAT FOR THIS PURPOSE, A DRIVER OF A PRIVATE MOTOR VEHICLE WITH A BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION LEVEL OF 0.02% OR HIGHER SHALL CONSTITUTE PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE THAT THE SAID
DRIVER IS DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL: PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT FOR NOVICE DRIVERS, AND DRIVERS OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE VEHICLES, TRUCKS, BUSES, MOTORCYCLES, AND PUBLIC UTILITY VEHICLES, A BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION LEVEL OF MORE THAN 0.00% SHALL CONSTITUTE PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE THAT THE SAID DRIVER IS DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. "(f) xxx. "xxx. "(J) NOVICE DRIVER REFERS TO ANY PERSON HOLDING (I) A STUDENT-DRIVER'S PERMIT, OR II) A NON- PROFESSIONAL DRIVER'S LICENSE ISSUED NOT MORE THAN SIX (6) MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF ORIGINAL ISSUANCE. "[6)] (K) xxx."
Sec. 2. Section 6 of Republic Act No. 10586 is hereby amended to read as
follows: "SEC. 6. Conduct of Field Sobriety, Chemical, and Confirmatory Tests. - A law enforcement officer who has probable cause to believe that a person is driving under the influence of alcohol, dangerous drugs and/or other similar substances by apparent indications and manifestations, including overspeeding, weaving, lane straddling, sudden stops, swerving, poor coordination, or the evident smell of alcohol in a person's breath or signs of use of dangerous drugs and other similar substances, shall conduct field sobriety tests. "If the driver fails in the sobriety tests OR WHERE SUCH TEST CANNOT BE SAFELY ADMINISTERED, it shall be duty of the law enforcement officer to implement the mandatory determination of the driver's blood alcohol concentration level through the use of a breath
analyzer or similar measuring instrument WITHIN TWO (2) HOURS FROM TIME OF INITIAL APPREHENSION. "If the law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that a person is driving under the influence of dangerous drugs and/or other similar substances, it shall be the duty of the law enforcement officer to bring the driver to the nearest police station OR GOVERNMENT FORENSIC OR DRUG TESTING LABORATORY to be subjected to a drug screening test and, if necessary, a drug confirmatory test as mandated under Republic Act No. 9165: PROVIDED, THAT THE NECESSARY DRUG TEST SHALL BE CONDUCTED WITHIN TWO (2) HOURS FROM THE TIME OF INITIAL APPREHENSION. "x xx."
Sec. 3. Section 7 of Republic Act No. 10586 is hereby amended to read as
follows: "SEC. 7. Mandatory Alcohol and Chemical Testing of Drivers Involved in Motor Vehicular Accidents. - A driver of a motor vehicle involved in a vehicular accident resulting in the loss of human life or physical injuries shall be subjected to chemical tests, including a drug screening test and, if necessary, a drug confirmatory test as mandated under Republic Act No. 9165, to determine the presence and/or concentration of alcohol, dangerous drugs and/or similar substances in the bloodstream or body: PROVIDED, THAT THE NECESSARY TESTS SHALL BE CONDUCTED WITHIN TWO (2) HOURS FROM THE TIME OF INITIAL CONTACT WITH A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER."
Sec. 4. Section 12 of Republic Act No. 10586 is hereby amended to read as
follows: "SEC. 12. Penalties. - A driver found to have been driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, dangerous drugs and/or
other similar substances, as provided for under Section 5 of this Act, shall be penalized as follows: "(a) If the violation of Section 5 did not result in physical injuries or homicide, the penalty of three (3) months imprisonment, and a fine ranging from [Twenty thousand pesos (Php20,000.00)] FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (PHP50,000.00) to [Eighty thousand pesos (Php80,000.00)] TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (PHP200,000.00) shall be imposed; "(b) If the violation of Section 5 resulted in physical injuries, the penalty provided in Article 263 of the Revised Penal Code or the penalty provided in the next preceding subparagraph, whichever is higher, and a fine ranging from [One hundred thousand pesos (Php100,000.00)] TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (PHP250,000.00) to [Two hundred thousand peses (Php200,000.00)] FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (PHP500,000.00) shall be imposed; "(c) If the violation of Section 5 resulted in homicide, the penalty provided in Article 249 of the Revised Penal Code and a fine ranging from [Three hundred thousand pesos (Php300,000.00) to] Five hundred thousand pesos (Php500,000.00) TO ONE MILLION PESOS (PHP1,000,000.00) shall be imposed; and "(d) The nonprofessional driver's license of any person found to have violated Section 5 of this Act shall also be confiscated and [suspended] REVOKED for a period of twelve (12) months for the first conviction and perpetually revoked for the second conviction. The professional driver's license of any person found to have violated Section 5 of this Act shall also be confiscated and perpetually revoked for the first conviction. A HOLDER OF A STUDENT PERMIT FOUND TO HAVE VIOLATED SECTION 5 OF THIS ACT SHALL HAVE HIS OR HER STUDENT PERMIT REVOKED AND SHALL BE PROHIBITED FROM APPLYING FOR A NEW STUDENT PERMIT FOR A PERIOD
OF TWELVE (12) MONTHS FOR THE FIRST CONVICTION AND SHALL BE PERPETUALLY BANNED FROM APPLYING FOR AND BEING GRANTED A STUDENT PERMIT OR ANY DRIVER'S LICENSE FOR THE SECOND CONVICTION. The perpetual revocation of a driver's license shall disqualify the person from being granted any kind of driver's license thereafter. "xxx. "ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WHO, WITHOUT JUSTIFIABLE REASON, FAILS OR REFUSES TO CONDUCT FIELD SOBRIETY TEST, BREATH ANALYZER, CHEMICAL TEST, AND DRUG SCREENING AND CONFIRMATORY TEST IN A MANNER PROVIDED AND WITHIN THE PERIOD PRESCRIBED UNDER THIS ACT OR ITS IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS SHALL BE HELD ADMINISTRATIVELY LIABLE AND UPON CONVICTION, SHALL SUFFER THE PENALTY OF SUSPENSION FROM OFFICE FOR A PERIOD RANGING FROM ONE (1) TO SIX (6) MONTHS, A FINE RANGING FROM FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (PHP50,000.00) TO TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (PHP200,000.00) OR BOTH, WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO OTHER CRIMINAL OR CIVIL ACTION THAT MAY BE FILED AGAINST SUCH ERRING LAW ENFORMENT OFFICER."
Sec. 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is declared
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
Sec. 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, acts, decrees, executive orders, issuances,
and rules and regulations or parts thereof which are contrary to and inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
Sec. 7. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
29 publication in the Official Gazette or at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. Approved,
Reproduced from the Senate document. The official PDF is the authoritative version.