20 to 25% of road accidents in Phl attributed to alcohol — expert

About 20 to 25 percent of road accidents that occurred nationwide could be attributed to alcohol, according to the think tank Action for Economic Reforms (AER).

As the Philippines continues to be one of the countries that sells some of the cheapest alcoholic beverages in the world, it is no surprise that alcoholic products are highly accessible here.

Data revealed that in 2023, about 16.79 percent of Filipino adults were identified as "binge drinkers," or those who constantly consume alcohol.

But drinking comes with a price.

According to AER, alcohol consumption leads to at least 27,000 deaths a year. Further, the Department of Health identified that 4,000 of the 12,000 road users dying annually were related to alcohol intoxication.

"Alcohol leads to road accidents because even if you are not too drunk and you just drank a little, it can still impair your cognitive ability, your driving ability," AJ Montesa, project officer of AER, explained during the "End the Epidemic on Yosi, Vape, at Alak Among Youth" media forum held in Quezon City.

"Any level of consumption of alcohol can impair your mobility," Montesa added.

To address the high level of alcohol consumption among Filipinos, Montesa advocated for higher taxes on alcoholic beverages.

"Taxes are highly effective because if they raise the price on alcoholic products, the demand will fall. If the prices are high, consumption will be low," he concluded.