BACOLOD City Councilor Al Victor Espino, chairperson of the City Council committee on transportation, has expressed support for the directive of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) requiring drivers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) to undergo mandatory drug testing every six months.
Espino said it is about time to strictly enforce alcohol and drug testing for drivers of PUVs to ensure road safety.
“It’s the DOTr that has the mandate to issue such directive for the safety of the commuters as well as the drivers,” he said.
Espino also expressed his gratitude to Transportation Secretary Vivencio Dizon for coming up such regulation for the PUV drivers.
“It’s expected that our drivers will complain, which is for them it’s an additional burden, but we should undergo such testing for the safety of everybody,” Espino said.
On May 5, 2025, Dizon issued a directive mandating strict alcohol and drug testing for drivers of PUVs to ensure road safety.
Following the recent fatal car crashes at the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Dizon said he was instructed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to ensure that justice is served to the families of the victims in SCTEX and NAIA accidents.
The new regulations require PUV operators, owners, and drivers to adhere to stringent testing protocols.
The operators must ensure their drivers undergo blood alcohol concentration (BAC) tests before deployment, using accredited breath analyzers, and submit to mandatory drug tests every six months, with additional random screenings conducted as needed. (MAP)