THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) has issued an order mandating strict alcohol and drug testing for drivers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) to ensure road safety and curb impaired driving.

The directive, signed by Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon on May 5, 2025, targets PUV operators, owners, and drivers, including those with certificates of public convenience (CPC), provisional authorities, or special permits.

The new regulations require PUV operators, owners, and drivers to adhere to stringent testing protocols. 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.

A zero-tolerance policy is now in place for violators. Drivers found with a BAC level exceeding 0.05 percent — the legal limit under RA 10586 (Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act) — will be immediately barred from operating a PUV.

Those who will test positive for drugs face suspension and must undergo confirmatory testing, with results reported to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

The consequences for non-compliance are severe. Drivers failing to present test results risk license revocation, while operators may face franchise cancellation or a 90-day suspension of their vehicle registration. The order also mandates post-accident testing, requiring drivers involved in major traffic incidents to submit to BAC and drug screenings within eight hours.

To ensure enforcement, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will integrate compliance with the testing requirements into its franchise renewal process. Meanwhile, the LTO retains the authority to impound vehicles if drivers cannot produce test results during routine inspections.

Dizon underscored the importance of the order, stating, "This policy is about safeguarding lives. We will strictly enforce these measures to ensure our roads are free from impaired drivers."

The LTFRB will issue guidelines for franchise renewals, tying compliance to drug test submissions. The LTO retains authority to impound vehicles if drivers fail to present test results during inspections.

For road safety

Malacañang on Tuesday expressed support for the new policy requiring PUV drivers to undergo regular and mandatory drug testing, saying it was necessary to ensure road safety.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro also urged the public not to immediately dismiss the DOTr's new policy as a mere "money-making strategy."

The DOTr order followed a series of fatal accidents, including the Solid North bus crash on Labor Day that killed 10 people, four of them children.

Dizon on Monday revealed that nearly 100 drivers tested positive for drugs during the Holy Week operations alone.

"Enough is enough," Dizon said. "When you're transporting dozens of lives, there's no room for compromise. Fail the test just once, and you'll never drive a public vehicle again in this country."

On Monday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a "crackdown on unsafe and exploitative practices in the transport sector" as he lamented the deaths of several Filipinos in recent vehicular accidents.

The president also ordered an investigation into the alleged "defective" bollards installed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal, Malacañang said Tuesday.

The president issued the directive after a Ford Everest drove past the bollards and then into the queue of people outside NAIA Terminal 1, killing two people, including a 4-year-old child.

Castro said that bollards were installed in 2019 during the previous administration and under the leadership of then-Transportation secretary Arthur Tugade.

"It is saddening that lives were lost due to the allegedly defective bollards installed at NAIA Terminal 1," Castro said during a press conference.

"The president has ordered an investigation into how the procurement was conducted and what specifications were followed," she added.

Meanwhile, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said his department is committed to provide comprehensive support for the victims of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway accidents, ensuring their needs are fully addressed.

The 10 victims of the May 1 SCTEx incident received P50,000 in burial assistance from the DSWD.