Alcohol and Drugs

Philippine law sets the minimum legal drinking age at 18.

Alcohol drinking is a big part of the Filipino merry-making activities. Filipinos are among the top wine drinkers in Asia and the country’s lucrative liquor companies have been thriving since the Spanish colonization period. Native drinks such as coconut wine is also common especially in the rural areas.

Generally though, beer is the favorite principally due to its affordability and partly due to its availability in grocery and convenience stores. While whisky, wine and other alcoholic drinks are supposedly purchasable, only in licensed liquor stores, this is not always the case, and can be bought in many regular stores.

The Philippines has stringent anti-drug laws and anyone caught, deserves the death sentence. Although the death penalty was abolished in 2006, Philippine jail experience can’t be any less harsh. The minimum sentence is 12 years and any quickie bribe may even extend the term in prison.

So don’t think of bringing your personal stash with you or carry drugs for others. If you are bringing prescription drugs, play safe by bringing the prescription with you.

Penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs involve fines between P200 – P500 and/or imprisonment of 3 months. A pending law seeks to impose stiffer penalties of not more than 15 years or fine of P20,000 to P200,000 - or both.