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Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon is set to sign a department order that would require drivers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) to undergo mandatory drug testing every 90 days to curb road accidents.
During a press briefing on Monday, May 5, Dizon said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ordered him to seek justice for victims of the recent crash along Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).
Last week, a speeding Pangasinan Solid North Transit Inc. (PSNTI) bus plowed into four vehicles near the exit toll plaza of SCTEX along Tarlac City. The incident left 10 dead and 37 injured.
Dizon said he was particularly irate after hearing reports that the driver, who reportedly dozed off when the crash happened, did not initially want to go through drug testing.
“Wala po siyang choice. Hindi ka pwedeng hindi pumayag. Nakapatay ka ng sampung tao, hindi ka papayag magpa-drug test, pwede ba ‘yun?” asked Dizon
(He doesn't have a choice. You can't just refuse. You killed ten people, and you won't agree to a drug test, how is that even acceptable?)
The driver, currently under police custody, has since tested negative after taking a drug test.
Dizon said the order, which will be effective immediately after signing, will involve the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), LTO (Land Transportation Office), PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency), and Department of Health (DOH).
The DOTr chief said the agencies will find a way to make this efficient and foolproof from drivers who want to evade the mandatory drug testing.
He said the testing will cover drivers and conductors, which will be shouldered by operators and transport companies.
Additionally, Dizon has directed the LTFRB and LTO to reduce the number of consecutive hours a PUV driver can traverse their route without breaks, from six hours to four.
For trips longer than four hours, bus companies are now mandated to provide relievers for the driver, instead of just the conductor.
Over the weekend, PSNTI announced that it has halted the operations of its 278 buses after an earlier order from the DOTr.
The LTFRB has issued special permits to allow other provincial buses to take over PSNTI’s routes and continue serving commuters.
Further, the DOTr said it will file civil cases against the company, aside from the criminal charges.
“This means we will demand compensation over and above the usual TPL (third-party liability) insurance,” said Dizon.
