Ejercito orders random drug testing of students

San Juan City Mayor Joseph Victor Ejercito ordered yesterday the conduct of random drug tests among secondary and elementary students in all schools in the city.

Ejercito is hoping that the drug testing would dissuade the youth, particularly the students, from taking illegal drugs.

The San Juan City mayor’s move came after City Ordinance 39-2008 was signed, authorizing him and city health officers to conduct such measure which received full support from public and private schools like the Immaculate Concepcion Academy, OB Montessori, Dominican College, PUP San Juan campus, San Juan National High School and a big number of public elementary schools.

Councilor Dante Santiago, principal author of the ordinance, said that “by conducting these random drug-testing activities, we will be able to control drug use and dissuade the non-users from trying the same.”

Santiago quoted Article III, Section 36 (c) of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (RA 9165) which mandates “that students of secondary and tertiary schools shall, pursuant to the related rules and regulations as contained in the school’s student handbook and with notice to the parents, undergo a random drug testing provided that all drug testing expenses whether in public or private schools under this Section will be borne by the government.”

“This is a preventive program undertaken by the administration of Mayor Ejercito to show that the government is unrelenting in its drive against drug abuse, knowing its subsequent ill effects not only to humans but to the society as well,” Santiago said.              – Non Alquitran