PUV drivers’ drug test: It shouldn’t stop there

The Department of Transportation recently announced stricter measures for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers following a series of horrific accidents on the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) that claimed the lives of at least a dozen and injured scores.

The deadly SCTEX collision on 1 May involved a Solid North bus, of Pangasinan Solid North Transit, that slammed into four vehicles, resulting in the death of 10 persons and injuries to 37, including minors.

Meanwhile, two were killed, including a 4-year-old girl, and at least three persons were injured after an SUV rammed into the departure entrance area at NAIA 1 on 4 May.

Among the new DoTr rules are mandatory drug tests every three months, relief drivers for trips lasting six hours or more, and enhanced driver education programs.

These policies make sense, on the surface. In theory, ensuring that bus and jeepney drivers are sober, well-rested, and adequately trained should make our roads safer. But while we’re at it, shouldn’t we ask: if drug testing is necessary for those who drive commuters, shouldn’t it also apply to those who drive the country?

Nobody wants a bus driver high on shabu barreling down the expressway. Drug use impairs judgment, slows reaction time, and increases recklessness. These are qualities you definitely don’t want in someone controlling a vehicle with passengers. The DoTr’s move to enforce regular drug tests is a reasonable step toward preventing tragedies caused by impaired drivers.

If we accept that logic, however, then it should apply even more so to those in power. After all, a senator or a congressman drafting laws while under the influence is just as dangerous as a drugged bus driver — the only difference is the scale of the damage.

Government officials should be tested too. Public utility drivers handle lives; government officials handle livelihoods. A bus crash might kill dozens, but a corrupt or incompetent leader can ruin millions. If we demand that PUV operators prove they’re clean, why shouldn’t we demand the same of lawmakers, Cabinet members, and other officials in high posts?

Think about this: a drug-using legislator might push incoherent policies, mismanage budgets, and make erratic decisions that hurt the economy; a ranking official on drugs could mishandle national security, public health crises, or infrastructure projects; a government official under the influence could make impulsive, dangerous calls that affect the entire country.

Yet, while we subject PUV drivers to strict scrutiny, many politicians face no such checks. If a driver loses his license for failing a drug test, shouldn’t a government official lose his post for the same reason?

The truth is there’s a glaring double standard. Ordinary workers — drivers, factory employees, security guards —are routinely drug-tested as a condition of employment. But those in high office? They get a free pass.

Why? Because we assume that just by having been elected, they are somehow above suspicion. Recent history tells us otherwise. There have been enough scandals involving politicians linked to drugs — either as users, protectors of dealers, and even traffickers — to warrant serious concern.

If we genuinely care about safety and accountability, drug testing should be mandatory for all public servants, especially those in leadership positions. After all, they’re the ones steering the nation. Shouldn’t we make sure they’re sober enough to do it right?

The DoTr’s new rules are a good start, but they highlight an uncomfortable truth: we hold ordinary citizens to a higher standard than our leaders. If we demand that PUV drivers prove they’re clean, then it’s only fair — no, it’s necessary — that we demand the same of those in power.

Because at the end of the day, a reckless driver can cause a fatal crash, but reckless leaders can crash an entire country. And that’s a risk we Filipinos can’t afford to take. Vote wisely!