BACOLOD City – A random drug test will be administered among personnel of the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region 6.
Regional Director Richard Osmeña disclosed this to the press recently after a top agency official revealed that two personnel from their regional offices tested positive for illegal drug use.
These two personnel have been dismissed from the service, LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra III said at the inauguration of the agency’s new satellite office in Barangay Mansilingan here.
Delgra said the dismissed personnel were from the LTFRB regional offices in regions 3 (Central Luzon) and 4 (Calabarzon).
A random drug testing led to this finding. The two personnel were tested twice. Both tests yielded the same results, he added.
Delgra pointed out that random drug testing among its personnel has been a regular activity at the LTFRB.
No employee of the Western Visayas regional office has tested positive for illegal drug use yet, said Osmeña.
President Rodrigo Duterte has recently signed an executive order (EO) institutionalizing the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy (PADS).
EO 66 directs all government agencies, offices, departments, and bureaus including government-owned and -controlled corporations and state universities and colleges to carry out the PADS in accordance with their respective mandates.
“The proliferation of prohibited drugs and their precursors is a serious national concern, encompassing social, economic, psychological, and economic interests, which necessitates the active and unified involvement of various government and nongovernment agencies,” read part of EO 66.
The PADS “outlines the balanced efforts of the government to strengthen its campaign against prohibited drugs and their precursors, and contribute to international efforts to counter the worldwide illegal drug problem.”
The Dangerous Drugs Board formulated the PADS and was tasked to lead its implementation.
“To ensure the successful implementation of the PADS and to demonstrate our country’s resolve in confronting the issue on illegal drugs, it is necessary to ensure that government and nongovernment entities carry out their respective functions and tasks under the PADS,” the EO further read.
Nongovernment organizations, civil society organizations and private institutions were encouraged to actively support projects under the PADS./PN
