MANILA — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said on Tuesday that more than 2,000 of its employees working in 16 airports nationwide went through a random drug testing recently and yielded negative results.
The most recent random drug test was held from February 7 to May 4. It is being done yearly, in accordance with the Philippine Civil Aviation Regulation on Psychoactive Testing and Reporting, which requires airport employees to undergo the drug test.
Of the 6,000 CAAP employees, 2,187 underwent the recent random drug test.
“The drug tests are being conducted whole year-round. Therefore, the tests can (still) be considered ongoing,” CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
He added that although the tests are unannounced and the airports are chosen randomly, CAAP’s Office of the Flight Surgeon and Aviation Medicine (OFSAM) prioritizes commercial airports because these airports employ more people.
CAAP manages 86 airports. But the 16 airports chosen recently were Davao International Airport, Laguindingan Airport, Tuguegarao Airport, Laoag International Airport, Cebu-Mactan International Airport, Kalibo International Airport, Dumaguete Airport, General Santos International Airport, Puerto Princesa International Airport, Zamboanga International Airport, Iloilo International Airport, Tagbilaran Airport, Plaridel Airport, Tacloban Airport, Roxas Airport, and Surigao Airport.
Apolonio said the random drug tests are also in line with the Duterte administration’s anti-drug efforts. (Ma. Cristina Arayata/PNA)
