Cebu City Councilor Jack Jakosalem is not in favor of the plan to scrap drug testing as requisite for acquiring driver’s license as proposed by lawyer Romulo Macalintal to the Dangerous Drugs Board.
Jakosalem, who chairs the City Council committee on transportation, said there is no need to revise the law since it is very effective and has been discouraging drivers from taking drugs.
“At least nga makahunong gyud sa pagamit sa ginadiling drogas ang usa ka user kung gusto gyud niini makabaton og driver’s license,” he said.
Macalintal asked newly installed DDB chairman Vicente “Tito” Sotto III to consider his proposal to amend Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Macalintal said he wants the deletion of Section 36 (a) of the law on illegal drugs, which provides that “no driver’s license shall be issued or renewed to any person unless he/she presents a certification that he/she has undergone a mandatory drug test and indicating thereon that he/she is free from the use of dangerous drugs.”
Macalintal believes that drug testing “should only be required for drivers who are apprehended or caught violating traffic rules and regulations or those who are involved in traffic accidents where their driver’s license would be confiscated and to be returned only upon presentation of a certification a mandatory drug test.”
He suggested the DDB to check with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for the results of mandatory drug tests and assess the number of applicants found positive for illegal drugs.
The lawyer said millions of Filipinos would benefit once the mandatory drug testing is abolished since drivers applying for a new or renewal of license would then no longer have to pay the cost of the test.
At present, drug-testing facilities within the LTO premises charge P300 for a drug test and P50 for a medical and visual acuity test.
There are about four million driver’s license holders all over the country. — Jasmin R. Uy/LPM