Senator Bam Aquino- Photo courtesy of Bam Aquino/Facebook.
Senator Bam Aquino filed a measure seeking to strengthen the country’s anti-drunk and drugged driving law, citing enforcement gaps and the continued high number of road crash deaths among young Filipinos.
Senate Bill No. 2068, received by the Senate Office of the Secretary on Thursday, proposed amendments to Republic Act No. 10586 or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013.
Aquino cited Department of Health (DOH) data showing 1,555 road crashes during Holy Week 2026, a 255.8 percent increase from the same period in 2025.
He said road crashes remained among the leading causes of death for young people, adding that existing safeguards had not kept pace with current road conditions.
In a statement, Aquino said many families continued to suffer losses due to impaired driving, while accountability often came too late or was inconsistently enforced.
He also cited the case of 23-year-old Kingston Ralph Cheng, who died in a hit-and-run incident in February 2026, saying delays in testing reportedly weakened the case.
Under the proposed measure, Aquino sought to lower blood alcohol concentration limits to 0.02 percent for novice and professional drivers and public utility vehicle operators, and 0.03 percent for other private motorists.
The bill also proposed stricter enforcement measures, including immediate chemical testing, implied consent for licensed drivers, and the use of scientific methods to estimate intoxication levels at the time of driving.