Driving under the influence of alcohol or dangerous or illegal drugs is extremely dangerous and is punishable by law. For Non-Professional Driver’s License (NPDL) holders, it is punishable by confiscation and suspension of the license for a period of twelve (12) months upon final conviction by a regular court. Professional Driver’s License (PDL) holders, on the other hand, can expect to have their license canceled upon the commission of the first offense.
This penalty applies after the Republic Act No. 10586, also known as the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013, is enacted as a law. It especially prohibits and penalizes people from driving after consuming wine, beer, or any other intoxicating distilled spirits, or after using cannabis or marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, or methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu.) The law also mandates a drug test for drivers involved in drug accidents or those whom the law enforcement officers believe to be under influence.

RA 11229: Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013
Enacted in May 2013, the RA 11229, otherwise known as the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013, was meant to protect both the citizens’ lives and properties by promoting responsible and ethical driving. It imposes penalties to those who are caught driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA), as well as those who are driving under the influence of dangerous drugs and other similar substances (DUID).
The original law imposes fines ranging from P20,000 to P500,000 with a minimum 3-month jail term, depending on the nature of the violation and whether the act caused injuries or deaths.
Subsequent Amendments to RA 11229
In 2021, the House of Representatives approved a bill that proposes stiffer penalties. The bill penalizes those who are caught driving drunk or drugged as follows:
- For driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA) and driving under the influence of dangerous drugs and other similar substances (DUID) with no homicide or physical injury: Initial fine ranging from P50,000 to P100,000 with a minimum of 6-month jail term shall be imposed.
- For driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA) and driving under the influence of dangerous drugs and other similar substances (DUID) and somebody gets injured: imprisonment under Article 263 of the Revised Penal Code plus a fine ranging from P150,000 to P250,000 shall be imposed.
- For driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA) and driving under the influence of dangerous drugs and other similar substances (DUID) resulting in homicide: a penalty of imprisonment under Article 249 of the Revised Penal Code plus a fine ranging from P350,000 to P500,000 shall be imposed.
In 2022, amendments were made to the law, imposing even stiffer penalties for drunk and drugged driving. The amendments imposes the following penalties:
- Non-Professional Driver’s License (NPDL) holders: Motorists with NPDL who drive after drinking alcohol or using drugs may get the following penalties:
- First offense (driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA) and driving under the influence of dangerous drugs and other similar substances (DUID)): A twelve-month driver’s license suspension
- Second offense (driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA) and driving under the influence of dangerous drugs and other similar substances (DUID)): A perpetual revocation of driver’s license.
- Professional Driver’s License holders: Motorists who hold a professional license will be confiscated and permanently revoked for the first offense and will be banned from applying for another driver’s license in the future.
In 2023, a partylist lawmaker is pushing for House Bill 7968, an amendment to what the representative thinks is insufficiently implemented Republic Act (RA) 10586 or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act. The bill pushes the deputization of more enforcement officers to implement the law against individuals driving under the influence of alcohol or dangerous drugs.
The amendment is supposed to make the law more effective in minimizing road crashes and other accidents. The bill also mandates the LTO to regularly conduct random inspections in public utility vehicle (PUV) terminals and to do quick random drug tests among PUV drivers.
Note: In case of apprehension, a driver, who has undergone and passed the field sobriety test and/or ABA test, cannot be subjected to drug screening test afterwards. Likewise, a driver who has undergone and passed the drug test, cannot be subjected to a field sobriety test and/or ABA test afterwards.
Who is responsible in cases of drunk driving incidents: the driver or the owner of the vehicle?
The short answer is both. During incidents or accidents caused by driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA) or driving under the influence of dangerous drugs and other similar substances (DUID), it’s not just the driver of the vehicle who is at fault. when it comes to drunk driving incidents. The law penalizes both the driver and the owner of the vehicle involved, especially if it involves public utility vehicles (PUVs) and commercial vehicles such as delivery vans, cargo trucks, container trucks, school and company buses, hotel transports, cars or vans for rent, taxi cabs, and the like.
The law says, “The owner and/or operator of the motor vehicle driven by the offender shall be directly and principally held liable together with the offender for the fine and the award against the offender for civil damages unless he/she is able to convincingly prove that he/she has exercised extraordinary diligence in the selection and supervision of his/her drivers in general and the offending driver in particular.”
Driver’s License Custody
All driver’s licenses confiscated under these rules shall be turned over to LTO for safekeeping and shall be released by LTO only after final disposition or lawful order of the courts.
Summary
In essence, driving under the influence of alcohol or dangerous or illegal drugs is illegal and extremely dangerous. Hence, the Philippine government continues to impose stiff penalties and punishments, both for the drivers, who hold both Non-Professional Driver’s License (NPDL) and Professional Driver’s License (PDL). Even the car owners and operators are punished by the law. The penalties may vary, but it becomes stiffer depending on the frequency of offense and the gravity of damages or injuries it causes. Even without injuries, the law imposes stiff penalties for simply driving while drunk or after taking illegal drugs in order to ensure that both the drivers and other road users stay responsible and safe in public.