World · Philippines Bureau
PDEA Steps Up Drug Testing for Cotabato Transport Workers Ahead of Undas
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency's Bangsamoro regional office has launched surprise drug screening operations targeting public transport drivers and conductors in Cotabato City to enhance passenger safety during the holiday season.
LSN Philippines ·
COTABATO CITY — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) conducted unannounced drug tests on public transportation workers on Tuesday as part of heightened safety measures ahead of the Undas holiday period.
The operation, part of the nationwide "Oplan Harabas" initiative also known as "Drug Test Muna Bago Pasada" (Test First Before Driving), targeted drivers and conductors operating in the Cotabato area. The testing campaign aims to ensure that commuters traveling to provincial destinations during the All Saints' and All Souls' Days season can do so with confidence in the sobriety and fitness of transport operators.
The PDEA-BARMM has been leading the regional implementation of the nationwide drug-testing program, which focuses on public transportation workers as a critical safety measure. The surprise testing format is designed to maximize compliance and deter substance use among operators responsible for passenger safety.
The operation reflects ongoing government efforts to maintain road safety standards and protect the traveling public during peak holiday periods, when increased travel volumes heighten the importance of vigilant screening protocols across the region's transport sector.