MANILA – The government will now require all drivers of public utility vehicles (PUV) to undergo mandatory drug testing, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on Monday.
According to Secretary Vince Dizon, the order, which will be effective immediately, was following a series of recent road accidents that killed at least a dozen individuals.
“Ako po ay galit na galit nung narinig ko sa news na ‘yung hinuling driver ng Solid North ay ayaw daw magpa-drug test. Wala po siyang choice… Hindi pwedeng hindi ka pumayag,” Dizon said in a press conference.
“Nakapatay ka ng sampung tao, hindi ka papayag na magpa-drug test? Pwede ba ‘yun? Parang katawa-tawa naman ‘yun,” he added. “So hindi na pupwede ‘yun ngayon.”
Dizon stated that DOTr, the Land Transportation Office (LTO), and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will collaborate with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to enforce the directive.
The DOTr chief further emphasized that mandatory drug testing will occur regularly, potentially every 90 days.
Additionally, he requested that the LTFRB and LTO amend the maximum allowable consecutive driving hours for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers from the existing 6 hours to 4 hours.
“At pinapadagdag ko pa ro’n, kailangan may ka-relyebo. Kung ang byahe ay mas mahaba sa apat na oras, mandated ang bus company na maglagay ng relyebo. Hindi konduktor. Ngayon ang ginagawa, ang konduktor siya din ang ginagawang ka-relyebong drayber. Hindi po pupwede na ‘yun,” he said.
Dizon said he has instructed the LTFRB and LTO to conduct genuine assessments of the road-worthiness of public utility vehicles (PUVs) and to implement rigorous, enforceable, and regular inspections akin to the standards observed in other nations.
Furthermore, he emphasized the necessity for enhanced driver education to mitigate the occurrence of road accidents in the future.
Additionally, he advocated for a more stringent enforcement of Republic Act No. 10916, commonly referred to as the Road Speed Limiter Act of 2016.
“This needs to be implemented immediately. And there needs to be more than one supplier, because apparently, before I came in and saw it, there’s only one supplier. So that needs to change,” Dizon said.
“I want it open, free market. Everybody that complies with standards can supply that. Anyone who qualifies or meets those standards,” he added./PN
