The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and its partner government agencies conducted simultaneous surprise mandatory drug tests of bus drivers and conductors on Friday, Aprip 8, to ensure the safety of the riding public trooping to the provinces for the Holy Week season break.
Dubbed as OPLAN: HARABAS, K-9 sniffing dogs carried out sweeping operations in bus terminals, airports, and seaports which PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva referred to “as part of the agency’s holistic approach in reducing the demand for illegal drugs, promoting drug-free workplaces and reformation.’’
“OPLAN: “HARABAS is a simultaneous surprise mandatory drug testing to all drivers in public terminals nationwide aimed to ensure the safety of passengers from drugged drivers and at the same time, promote a drug-free public transport system all over the country,’’ Villanueva explained.
“Apart from preventing the trafficking of illegal drugs via public transport, we are also doing this to curb incidents of vehicular accidents caused by drivers under the influence of drugs, and make the roads safer for commuters during the holiday rush,” he added.
In collaboration with the Land Transportation and Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Land Transportation Office (LTO), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine National Police (PNP) and local government units (LGUs), PDEA operatives proceeded to the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) and SM Mall Of Asia (MOA) transport terminal for the surprise drug tests of bus drivers and conductors.
With the assistance of Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Villanueva noted that the PDEA agents “also swept the country’s high-risk airports and seaports for dangerous drugs using K9s’."
Bus and van terminals were also subjected to K9 sweeping to prevent the transportation of illegal drugs using these facilities.
“Drivers who will be tested positive for illegal drugs will not be allowed to travel and their licenses will be confiscated by the LTO. These erring drivers must undergo the rehabilitation process before their licenses are returned,” Villanueva noted.
Personnel from the PDEA-Preventive Education and Community Involvement Service (PECIS) and Department of Health (DOH) were also present to perform counseling and other health-related interventions on drivers found positive for illegal drugs.
Likewise, PDEA distributed drug preventive information, education and communication (IEC) materials to commuters to raise awareness on the ill effects of illegal drugs.
In 2019, PDEA, through the implementation of OPLAN “HARABAS”, conducted three successive random drug testing to bus drivers, conductors and other employees.
The PDEA chief said that a total of 17,396 public transport employees have undergone the drug test, 198 of whom yielded positive for drug use.
“Surprise drug tests in the transport sector serve as deterrent to illegal drug use on mass transport drivers to lessen drug-related road accidents. There is an existing practice of drug use among provincial bus drivers to stay awake performing long haul trips,” Villanueva said.
Based on published data from the Philippine Statistics Agency (PSA), the registered deaths attributed to transport accidents decreased by 37.4 percent, from 12,800 (2.1 percent share) in 2019 to 8,000 (1.4 percent share) in 2020, pushing its rank from 11th to 17th in a list of most common causes of death in 2020.
This downtrend in vehicular accidents can be attributed to travel restrictions brought about by the COVID19 pandemic.
With travel restrictions being lifted, Villanueva said that PDEA aims to be one step ahead and prevent vehicular fatalities caused by driving under the influence of drugs before they happen.
OPLAN: “HARABAS” was implemented in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002 and Republic Act No.10586 or the “Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013, as well as Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation No. 2 Series of 2004.