Iloilo city officials expressed their support for the directive from Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, which mandates regular drug tests for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers as part of a nationwide road safety plan.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said, “(We are supporting it) if that’s the directive from the Department of Transportation (DOTr). For the drug test to be effective, it should be unannounced.”
Councilor Al Victor Espino, chairperson of the committee on transportation and traffic management, added, “It’s about time” to implement a regular and mandatory drug test for PUV drivers. He thanked Dizon for the move.
The directive follows instructions from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for Dizon to address fatal road crashes by improving the system and ensuring safer roads.
In addition to the drug tests, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that driving hours for public utility bus drivers will be reduced from six to four hours. Other measures include enforcing road safety checks, implementing the speed limiter law, and suspending abusive motorists for 90 days.
The DOTr confirmed in a statement that vehicle operators and owners will shoulder the cost of the mandatory drug tests.
