TRANSPORTATION Secretary Vince Dizon announced on Monday a new department order mandating mandatory drug testing for all public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers every 90 days.
This follows a recent spate of road accidents resulting in at least a dozen fatalities.
The order, effective immediately, was prompted by the refusal of a driver involved in a fatal accident to undergo drug testing. “I was furious,” Dizon stated in a press conference, “He killed ten people and refused a drug test? That’s unacceptable.”
The Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Office (LTO), and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will collaborate with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to implement the testing.
In addition to the drug testing, Dizon announced several other measures aimed at improving road safety:
- Reduced Driving Hours: The maximum consecutive driving hours for PUV drivers will be reduced from 6 to 4 hours, with a mandatory relief driver required for longer trips. The use of conductors as relief drivers will no longer be permitted.
- Stricter Vehicle Inspections: The LTFRB and LTO will conduct more rigorous roadworthiness assessments of PUVs, implementing stricter standards comparable to international best practices.
- Enhanced Driver Education: A more comprehensive driver’s education program will be implemented to prevent future accidents.
- Stricter Speed Limiter Enforcement: The government will enforce Republic Act No. 10916 (Road Speed Limiter Act of 2016) more stringently, including opening the market to multiple suppliers of speed limiters.
- Support for Transportation Safety Board: Dizon voiced his support for Senator Grace Poe’s proposal to establish a Philippine Transportation Safety Board to investigate transportation accidents across all modes.
These measures, Dizon explained, are a direct response to the public’s growing concerns about road safety following recent tragedies, such as the multiple-vehicle collision in Tarlac City that killed ten, including four children, and the fatal accident at NAIA Terminal 1. “We need to restore public confidence and make our roads safe again,” Dizon emphasized. “What happened in Tarlac and at NAIA could happen to any of us.”Share
