24/07/2026
SHAPING PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY IN BAGUIO CITY
"Effective prevention starts with evidence-based policy."
Anaya Recovery was honored to serve as one of the resource panelists before the Baguio City Council, joining expert representatives from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), City Health Services Office (CHSO), and World Health Organization (WHO) Philippines.
Representing our center, our Program Director, Vincent Carlo A. Tabirara joined medical leaders to present the clinical and behavioral grounds for raising the Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) under the proposed 2026 Revised Liquor Code.
We commend Mayor Benjie Magalong - Public Servant, Councilor Atty. Paolo Salvosa, Councilor Atty Elmer O Datuin, and the Baguio City - Sangguniang Panlungsod for grounding public policy in science and preventive medicine.
Anaya Recovery remains dedicated to using our clinical expertise to inform city leadership, safeguard our youth, and build a safer Baguio.
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CITY COUNCIL WEIGHS MEDICAL EVIDENCE ON RAISING BAGUIO’S LEGAL DRINKING AGE TO 23-25
Medical experts backed the proposal to raise the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) in Baguio City from 18 to between 23 and 25 years old, citing evidence on brain development and alcohol-related harms.
During its regular session on July 20, 2026, the Baguio City Council invited Dr. Rafael Legaspi of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), Dr. Donabel Panes of the City Health Services Office (CHSO), Vincent Carlo Tabirara of the ANAYA Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (DRATC), and Dr. Florante Trinidad of the World Health Organization (WHO) Philippines as resource speakers to present the medical basis for raising the MLDA in the city.
The proposed increase in the MLDA is a significant provision of the proposed 2026 Revised Liquor Code which is currently under deliberation by the City Council.
In his presentation, Dr. Legaspi stressed that the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, impulse control, judgment, planning, and weighing long-term consequences, does not fully mature until around the age of 25.
He addressed the common argument that because 18 is the age of civic responsibility such as voting, individuals should also be considered capable of drinking alcohol responsibly.
According to Legaspi, voting is a “sober and deliberate act” that engages the prefrontal cortex, encouraging people to think critically and consider the long-term consequences of their choices.
In contrast, alcohol and other addictive substances primarily stimulate the brain's reward system and bypass higher-order decision-making processes, thus, increasing the tendency toward impulsive behavior and the pursuit of immediate gratification.
“The dangerous part is that an 18-year-old's brakes are not yet fully developed, making it difficult to accurately weigh the risks of alcohol consumption against the perceived benefits of drinking as a way to socialize or conform to societal norms,” Legaspi stated.
He added that a 25-year-old brain is a "more efficient machine" that is better able to resist impulsive behavior, avoid dangerous habits associated with substance use and behavioral addictions, and enable individuals to live longer and more productive lives.
Supporting Legaspi’s position on the matter, Tabirara explained that early exposure increases the risk of developing alcohol-related problems. He said when children and teenagers grow up in environments where alcohol is seen as normal or are asked to buy alcoholic beverages, they become more likely to experiment with drinking out of curiosity.
Meanwhile, Dr. Panes pointed to a concerning trend in alcohol-related cases based on consolidated 2024-2026 data from the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), mortality records, and Baguio General Hospital (BGH). She said nearly 97.5% of alcohol-related cases involve men, with male residents accounting for about 95.86% of alcohol-related deaths in the city.
While alcohol-related incidents are most common among individuals aged 30 to 35, deaths peak among those aged 65 to 66, indicating that the harmful effects of excessive alcohol consumption often emerge decades after drinking begins.
Panes also noted documented cases involving individuals as young as 15 years old, underscoring early exposure among the youth. She warned that alcohol-related deaths could quadruple within five years if current trends continue, citing more than 3,100 alcohol-related hospital cases recorded from 2024 to 2026.
She urged the City Council to act favorably on the proposed ordinance, saying preventive measures are needed to reduce alcohol-related deaths and lessen the burden on the city's healthcare system.
However, Councilor Edison Bilog questioned whether the data presented sufficiently established a link between early alcohol consumption and the 145 recorded alcohol-related deaths cited in Panes’ report. He asked how many of those deaths involved individuals who were between 15 and 17 years old and whether there was evidence showing that those who died had started drinking at age 22 or younger.
Panes said while younger alcohol-related deaths were generally associated with road trauma involving individuals under the influence of alcohol, the CHSO has yet to produce disaggregated mortality data by age or conduct a study tracing when the deceased began drinking. She said existing adolescent behavioral data indicate that many high school students in the city already consume alcohol but acknowledged that no specific study directly links the age of first alcohol use to the 145 recorded deaths.
Bilog expressed concern that without such evidence, it would be difficult to justify increasing the MLDA. He also warned that raising the age requirement could unintentionally encourage unregulated and unsafe binge drinking among young people, making enforcement even more difficult.
While acknowledging the need to address alcohol-related harm, Bilog said stronger evidence is needed to convince both the City Council and the public that increasing the drinking age would effectively reduce alcohol-related deaths.
Panes acknowledged the limitation in the available data but maintained that current records show existing policies have not been sufficient to prevent underage access to alcohol, warranting stronger preventive measures.
Providing context on the proposal's development, Councilor Paolo Raynor Salvosa explained that the initiative to increase the MLDA stemmed from earlier discussions on regulating the location of liquor establishments near schools and other protected institutions. However, with the assistance of the WHO and Councilor Elmer Datuin, the City Council expanded the discussion to examine the appropriate MLDA based on scientific evidence and public health considerations.
Salvosa noted that while the age of majority was lowered from 21 to 18 under the 1987 Constitution to expand the right to vote, the law does not treat all adult privileges equally.
He cited existing laws that impose higher age requirements for certain activities including marriage, gambling, and smoking, arguing that these demonstrate the legislature's recognition that some decisions require greater maturity than others.
He also said the proposed increase from 18 to 23 years old was discussed during two public consultations conducted in January and June where many participants expressed support for delaying legal access to alcohol, particularly for young people who have just graduated from senior high school and remain financially dependent on their parents.
Salvosa added that the proposal was supported by Mayor Benjamin Magalong who had earlier emphasized that public policy should be guided by scientific evidence.
The proposed 2026 Revised Liquor Code also introduces regulations on the establishment and licensing of alcohol-serving businesses, alcohol license fees, restrictions on the sale and service of alcohol to certain persons, responsible alcohol service, delivery services, individual alcohol server work permits, employers' obligations, establishments permitted and prohibited from selling or dispensing alcoholic beverages, health and sanitation standards, mandatory signage, the protection of women, the regulation of alcohol advertising and pricing, the maintenance and operation of alcohol-serving establishments, enforcement mechanisms, and penalties and sanctions.
These provisions have yet to be deliberated by the City Council. The proposed ordinance will first be republished because it has undergone substantial revisions since its earlier published version, with the proposed increase in the MLDA among the significant changes.
Once the revised draft has been republished, the City Council will resume its deliberations on the measure. -Jordan G. Habbiling
