Drug test for college students, faculty pushed

CEBU CITY – The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is also proposing a mandatory drug test for college students, teachers, and employees.

CHED Regional Director for Central Visayas Freddie Bernal aired the proposal after the Department of Education (DepEd) announced random drug tesingt for elementary and secondary school teachers starting this school year.

Bernal said the testing should include officials and employees of CHED to make sure that universities and colleges are free from illegal drugs.

The commission will hold a public consultation on mandatory drug testing on May 31 in Manila, Bernal said.

CHED Regional Supervising Education Program Specialist Josefino Ronquillo said random drug tests have been done before, on the request of the universities and colleges, even before the administration of President Duterte.

“We had random drug tests before to look into which age bracket are most prone to illegal drugs,” said Ronquillo.

He said it is up to the university administrators and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to decide what actions to take when students and teachers are found positive for drug use.

CHED’s job, Ronquillo said, is to make recommendations when someone tests positive for drugs. (Kier Belleza, Shadelle Delima)

WATER WOES – A water shortage may be far from the mind of this fisherman in Cebu City, but in the upland barangays, water is being rationed as the city’s reservoir dries up in the intense summer heat. (Juan Carlo de Vela)