THE PERCEPTIONS OF THE DAILY COMMUTERS ON THE MANDATORY

DRUG TESTING AND ALCOHOL LEVEL CHECKING OF THE

BUS DRIVERS IN PAGADIAN CITY

A Thesis Presented to
The Faculty of Pagadian Capitol College

In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirement for the Degree
Bachelor of Science in Criminology
(BSCRIM)

BALATERO, CARLO
DANSALAN, NORHAN
FILIPINO, PENELOPPE SHEN
GASPARILLO, NISSIE
JUMAWAN, PRINCE KENNITH
MONTERO, LEOH JEFF
SALVADOR, JHUNJIE
TABLATE, ROMEO ANTHONY

JANUARY, 2023
Chapter I
 THE PROBLEM

Introduction

People typically consider transportation, public vehicles or services is a way

to get them where they need to go. And for a commuter, it is always important for

them to know if the vehicle they are riding is safe. However, there’s always a

possibility where safety of the commuters become an underrated issue.

Especially, when drivers of these said vehicles do not have ethics, discipline and

sense of responsibility towards their jobs. In relation, according to UN’s

Sustainable Development Goals 2015 , it focused on the sustainability of cities;

among its targets is aimed at providing “safe, affordable, accessible, and

sustainable transport systems for all (United Nations, 2015).” In addition to

ensuring the accessibility of transportation to everyone, the safety of commuters,

passengers, and pedestrians must also be ensured.

A study in relation to the causes of road accidents, several studies have

demonstrated how various factors cause road accidents and deaths. Driving

under the influence of alcohol (Olojedeet al., 2017) is one of the most common

reasons, which eventually results in risky driving behavior (Oluwole et al., 2013;

Shen et al., 2011). In the Philippines, one of the main causes of non-disease

fatalities is traffic accidents. According to WHO statistics (2018) around 1.35

million people worldwide per year die as a result of traffic accidents. Eighth most

common factor in fatalities for all ages. Three times more deaths rates in low-
income nations compared to high-income nations. Number one killer of children

and young adults aged 5 to 29.

Moreover, given the total number of road accidents that occur everyday, it is

reasonable that PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) conducted a

simultaneous surprise mandatory drug testing of all drivers at public terminals

across the nation, which was intended to protect passengers from drunk drivers

and to promote a drug-free public transportation system. The mandatory testing

was dubbed as “Oplan Harabas” by PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino

(2019), that aims to reduce the demand for illegal drugs, promote drug-free

workplaces, harm-reduction and reformation, and (Caliwan, 2019). PDEA

Director also added that, driver's licenses will be seized from those who tested

positive for drug use until the PDEA issues a clearance.

Before getting their licenses back, they must go through the proper

intervention and rehabilitation procedures. This initiative is in accordance with

Republic Act (RA) 10856 or Anti Drugged Driving Act of 2013, known as "An Act

Penalizing Persons Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Dangerous Drugs,

and Similar Substances, and for Other Purposes." (Llemit, 2022). As per Section

5 of RA 10856, it is unlawful for any person to drive a motor vehicle while under

the influence of alcohol, dangerous drugs, and or/other similar substances.

Section 7, on the other hand, states the mandatory conduct of alcohol and

chemical testing, including drug screening tests and, if necessary, a drug

confirmatory test, of drivers involved in motor vehicular accidents, especially if

the accident caused the loss of human life or physical injuries (Baroña, 2022).
 In addition, deaths in roads caused by drunk or junkie drivers, data from

January to August 2022 showed that the LTO's Law Enforcement Service-Anti-

Drunk and Drugged Driving Enforcement Unit responded to 402 road crash

incidents, where 353 of the drivers involved tested positive for alcohol

intoxication, leading to 15 deaths and 232 physical injuries (Baroña, 2022). The

data only focused on accidents caused by drunk-driving accidents, not including

accidents caused by drivers who take drugs before or during service.

The issue of drunk driving and drug use led to the Anti-Drunk and Drug

Driving Act of 2013, to simply put an end or reduce the under the influence

behavior of any public utility drivers and private vehicle drivers. This topic led the

researchers to seek answers that would help address the issue and problems of

drunk driving and drug use of Bus Drivers in Pagadian City. The PCC BSCRIM

researchers embarked on answering the questions of the perceptions of Daily

Commuters with different demographic profiles towards Alcohol and Drug Testing

of Bus Drivers.

Theoretical Framework and Conceptual Framework

This study assumes that the mandatory drug and alcohol level testing have a

relationship and impact to the road safety of people especially for the daily

commuters. This study anchors in the theory “Classical Deterrence Theory” by

Hobbes (1651), Beccaria (1872) and Bentham (1789), to support the study in the

significance of different perceptions of the people specifically commuters

(classified demographically) towards drug and alcohol testing, entitled "The

Perceptions of the Daily Commuters on the Mandatory Drug Testing and Alcohol

Level Checking of the Bus Drivers in Pagadian City".

Tomlinson (2016) stated that the concept of specific deterrence proposes

that individuals who commit crime(s) and are caught and punished will be

deterred from future criminal activity. On the other hand, general deterrence

suggests that the general population will be deterred from offending when they

are aware of others being apprehended and punished.

The primary consideration in the conduct of this study is the daily commuters'

safety from accidents and injury and to ensure a sober workforce (Lobdock,

2020). And checking the efficacy of the testing in the workplace (Els, Charl, et al.,

2020). The deterrence theory will serve as the bases of the study in conducting

the research, in investigating cause and outcomes of irresponsible behavior of

illegal intakes of illegal substance and alcohol, and test if conducting drug and

alcohol testing is effective to reduce the risk of death and injury due to ethical

negligence of bus drivers. As to Romano and Voas study (2011) they found out

that Stimulants contributed to the different types of fatal crashes irrespective of

the levels of alcohol consumed by the drivers. In addition, the deterrence theory

will be a guide to investigate a driver’s motivation in committing crimes during

their service as public utility drivers. Ultimately, this study will also serve as a

stepping stone to avoid or prevent the risks of injuries and deaths in the future

caused by the irresponsible acts of driving while intoxicated. And the significance

of this theory will assess the effects of alcohol and drug screening of

occupational drivers (operating a public vehicle) in preventing injury, and how

public reports towards law violators apprehending can possibly decrease

intoxicated while driving cases.

In case of an accident, death may occur, reportedly in many countries across

the world many deaths have occurred due to drinking and driving as a result of

accidents. Those who are lucky to survive the accidents may suffer injuries

including partial or total disability. Another effect of drinking and driving is the fact

that when one is caught driving under alcohol influence then they get a bad

record and apparently their reputation is ruined in a way. Due to the devastating

effects that result from drinking and driving, it is vital to consider looking for ways

that may reduce or better eliminate incidents of drinking and driving.

With these considerations in mind, the researchers at BSCRIM chose to

conduct the study. The researchers were urged to answer how sufficient and

effective is the conduct of mandatory testing for bus drivers for daily commuters

and to use it to find solutions, recommendations, and alternatives to cater the

safety of each passenger.

Ultimately, this study may help in reducing the risks and numbers of potential

accidents that may occur in the future. Thus, aiming to create a safe place for

both drivers and commuters in the future.

Statement of the Problem

This study is undertaken to determine the perceptions of the daily commuters

on the mandatory drug testing and alcohol level checking of the bus drivers in

Pagadian City.

Specifically, this study sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 age;

1.2 gender; and

1.3 educational attainment?

2. What is the perception of the daily commuters on the mandatory drug testing

and alcohol level checking of the bus drivers?

3. Is there a significant difference in the perception of the daily commuters on

the mandatory drug testing and alcohol level checking of the bus drivers when

grouped according to:

3.1 age;

3.2 gender; and

3.3 educational attainment?

Hypotheses

Ho¹: There is no significant difference in the ‘perception of daily commuters on

the mandatory drug testing and alcohol level checking of the bus drivers when

grouped according to age.

Ho²: There is no significant difference in the ‘perception of daily commuters on

the mandatory drug testing and alcohol level checking of the bus drivers when

grouped according to gender.

Ho³: There is no significant difference in the ‘perception of daily commuters on

the mandatory drug testing and alcohol level checking of the bus drivers when

grouped according to educational attainment.

 Mandatory

Drug Testing
Commuters
and Alcohol

Level

Checking

Figure 1. Schematic Presentation of the interplay of Variables of the Study

Significance of the study

This study aims to establish an awareness and understanding of the

significance of conducting drug and alcohol tests to Bus Drivers in Pagadian City

where this study will be undertaken to find out the perceptions of commuters to

the idea. Benefiting the study are the various sectors as follows:

Land Transportation Office. The findings of this study may provide LTO

some strategic interventions in apprehending bus driver who will drive while

intoxicated in the future. In addition, this study may assist LTO in determining

administrative sanctions and corresponding penalties to be imposed.

Police Officer. The study may enhance police officer’s knowledge and

access to information on the varieties of illegal substances that bus drivers may

use during their service. This study may also help in preventing future accidents

caused by drunk and drugged driving and to create programs and interventions

in the future.

Drivers. The study may help provide information to bus drivers about the

negative effects of having drug and alcohol in their system and how it will affect

commuters and their lives during wok. In addition, it may provide awareness to

drivers on the sanctions and penalties imposed by the LTO when caught drunk or

drugged and will likely to commit an infraction, leading too fewer impaired

workers, reducing risk of accidents.

Commuters. This study will give commuters awareness and understanding

about drug testing and alcohol testing. This study may help them to be informed

and may ensure their journey and risk-free from injuries on the road.
 Future Researchers. The results of this study may help future researchers

in conducting further studies about the significance of drug testing and alcohol

level checking to bus drivers and help them to explore other strategies that may

help LTO and police in planning strategic interventions to ensure the safety of

drivers and commuters.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The study focused on the Perceptions of the daily commuters on the

mandatory drug testing and alcohol level checking of the bus drivers in Pagadian

City. As for the Perceptions of the daily commuters that is assessed in this study,

is the significant difference on the perception of daily commuters when grouped

according to age, gender, and educational attainment. The participants of the

study are commuters that varies on age, gender and educational attainment.

Definition of Terms

For a clearer understanding of the different terminologies used in the study,

the following terms are defined operationally to convey its meaning according to

the manner of their usage.

Commuter. Someone who regularly travels between work and home.

Deterrence. The action of discouraging an action or event

through instilling doubt or fear of the consequences. The crime prevention effects

of the threat of punishment — is a theory of choice in which individuals balance

the benefits and costs of crime.

Drug Testing. Looks for signs of one or more illegal or prescription drugs in a

sample of your urine (pee), blood, saliva (spit), hair, or sweat. Done primarily to

screen people systematically or randomly for evidence of use of one or more

substances with potential for abuse.

Drunk Driving. Referred to as driving under the influence (DUI) and involves

operating a vehicle with a BAC of at least 0.08%. A criminal offense and refers to

the act of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol to the

extent it impairs the physical and mental faculties of the driver.

Intervention. The act of interfering with the outcome or course especially of a

condition or process (as to prevent harm or improve functioning). A statement of

the actions that you might take to address the strategic priorities and resolve the

constraints. It narrows the focus from a broad strategic priority and begins to

define specific activities.

Mandatory. Required by a law or rule : obligatory. Something that is mandatory

must be done, or is demanded by law

Rehabilitation. A set of interventions designed to optimize functioning and

reduce disability in individuals with health conditions in interaction with their

environment. The treatment and reeducation of an offender with the goal of

restoring them to a position where they are able to live a crime-free life. A central

goal of the correctional system. This goal rests on the assumption that individuals

can be treated and desist from crime.

Stimulants. A class of drugs that speed up messages travelling between the

brain and body. These drugs are used by a very high percentage of the general
population for various reasons, including performance enhancement, medical

benefits, and recreational purposes. Depending on the stimulant and jurisdiction,

the drug may be legal or illegal.

 Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

A variety of related literature and studies incorporated in this study are put

forward to see the relationship of the identified variables. This chapter presents

an overview of previous research about the study in regards to road accidents by

drug and drunk driving and the implementation of Mandatory drug testing and

alcohol-level checking among bus drivers. The discussion is organized based on

the topics which are the focus of the study.

Road Accidents

Road safety is one of the most substantial entity in public health. Aside from

the fact that it may involve human’s life, it can also affect socio-economic

progress. Vehicle accident can cause slow movement of traffic that may lead to

unproductiveness of an individual or even firm and other business (Asor, et al.,

2018).

Vehicle accident cannot always be considered as accident but rather a

collision, because accident is an undesirable and unexpected event without

apparent cause. According to an article by SmartMotorist (2011) stated that the

four factors affecting road accidents are equipment failure, roadway design and

no proper signage in the road, poor roadway maintenance and driver behavior.

Every year, millions more road victims are added to the current toll of over 50

million killed and hundreds of millions injured since the first road death 125 years
ago last August – a disaster that continues day in and day out in all countries of

the world (UN, 2022). Each year, 1.35 million people are killed on roadways

around the world. Every day, almost 3,700 people are killed globally in crashes

involving cars, buses, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks, or pedestrians. More than

half of those killed are pedestrians, motorcyclists, or cyclists. Crash injuries are

estimated to be the eighth leading cause of death globally for all age groups and

the leading cause of death for children and young people 5–29 years of age.

More people now die in crashes than from HIV/AIDS (CDC, 2021).

About 85% of anniversary deaths are occurring in developing countries.

(Vague) Males especially those between 15 and 44 years old is the extremely

affected group of people with traffic accidents. Traffic accidents expenditure of

countries is 1 to 2% of their total national products. Even although only 52% of

vehicles in the world are, recorded in developing countries, 80% of road traffic

deaths take place in these countries (WHO, 2013).

In the Philippines, with a total of 29.67 million vehicles registered with the

Land Transportation Office, saw an increasing trend in road accidents. In Metro

Manila alone that consists of 16 cities and 1 municipality, with a population of

13.9M and 6.68M registered vehicles, the number of road accidents doubled

from 63,072 in 2007 to 116,906 in 2018, resulting in a yearly average of 566

fatalities based on Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis System report

on situation on road accidents in the Philippines (MMARAS, 2018). This led the

Philippine Department of Health (DOH) tagged that road accidents as major

leading causes of death overtaking other health and deadly diseases, including
dengue, in the list of causes of deaths (PhilKotse.com, 2020). Also reported in

MMARAS (2019) was the classification of accidents in Metro Manila into Fatal

with 372 cases, Non-fatal with 20, 466 cases and Damage to Property with

100,933 cases. The most common nature of road accidents was collision with the

following types: side-swipe, rear-end, angle impact, hit and run, multiple collision,

self-accident, hit parked vehicle, head on and hit object. The most leading road

accident cause was human interface errors, such as, lack of experience on

driving, unfamiliar road signs and locations, fell asleep, lost control and drive

under the influence of alcohol. Another cause was due to mechanical defects,

namely: electrical problem, loose brake, loose propeller, exploded tire and flat tire

(PhilKotse.com, 2020). Other factors that led to casualties to pedestrians, drivers

and passengers included environmental related and road issues and vehicle

traffic involving driver’s over speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, not

good in overtaking, improper turning of the wheel and even pedestrian’s

jaywalking.

Road Accidents by Drunk Driving

Drunken driving is one of the major causes of road accidents. The statistics

also show that most of the road accidents in the highways are due to drunken

driving only. Globally, some 480,000 deaths and 20 million of people get injured

by drunken driving every year. In most high-income countries about 20% of

fatally injured drivers have excess alcohol in their blood, i.e., blood alcohol

concentration (BAC) in excess of the legal limit. In contrast, studies in low- and
middle-income countries like India have shown that between 33% and 69% of

fatally injured drivers and between 8% and 29% of nonfatally injured drivers had

consumed alcohol before their crash (Verster et al., 2018).

It has been known that alcohol use impairs driving skills and increases

accident risk. It has been found that while driving under the influence of alcohol,

the risk of having an accident causing injury or death increases exponentially

(Zhao, X., Zhang, X., & Rong, J., 2014). In Europe, drinking driving is thought to

be responsible for 10,000 deaths each year. Alcohol-impaired driving accidents

contribute to approximately 31% of all traffic fatalities in the USA. In China, it was

revealed that about 34.1% of road accidents were alcohol related. Drunk driving

has a high probability to lead to serious accidents. Even with a small amount of

alcohol assumption, drivers are twice likely to be involved in traffic accidents than

sober drivers (Li et al., 2012). As a result, numerous nations have been working

on solutions to drunk driving for a very long time, including public awareness

campaigns, education campaigns, and strict drunk driving laws. Laws against

driving after intoxication have been passed, and offenders face severe penalties.

The range of BAC legal limits is between 0.01% and 0.08%. For instance, in

Sweden, Israel, Korea, and Australia, the limit is 0.02%; in Canada, England,

Mexico, and the United States, it is 0.08%; and in Sweden, it is 0.05%. In China,

driving while intoxicated is considered to be drink driving, and the offender will

face consequences. Additionally, driving while intoxicated is illegal and is defined

as having a BAC of 0.08 percent or higher (Zha0, et al., 2014).

 According to the European Commission, 25% of all deaths on the road in the

EU are alcohol-related. Worldwide, of the estimated 1.25 million annual road

deaths, 273,000 are thought to have involved at least one drunk driver (Uddin,

2022). Moreover, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that

over the 10-year period from 2010 to 2019, more than 10,000 people died each

year in drunk driving car accidents (Masterson,2023). In NHTSA's roundup

statistics about driving includes; In 2017, 32% of all drivers involved in fatal

crashes while driving at night were drunk. Almost twice as many alcohol-related

and fatal car crashes occur during the weekend . In 2017, there were four male,

alcohol-impaired drivers for every one female alcohol-impaired driver out on the

road. And in 2019, there were 50,930 drivers in fatal car crashes, and an

estimated 19% of the drivers were alcohol-impaired (NHTSA, 2019).

In the Philippines, 12,000 road users die annually due to road crashes and

almost one-third are alcohol-related crashes (Lu, J. L., Herbosa, T. J., & Lu, S.

F., 2022). About 25 percent of which are related to the harmful consumption of

alcohol. Moreover, many Filipinos remain unaware of the risks of drinking

then driving—and that the effects of alcohol could kick in once the motorist is

on the road (MB, 2022).

Road Accidents by Drug Driving

Drugged driving has become a safety issue of increasing public concern in

the United States and many other countries (Brady and Li, 2013; Dupont et al.,

2012; Legrand et al., 2013). According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use
and Health (NSDUH), in 2018, 20.5 million people aged 16 or older drove under

the influence of alcohol in the past year and 12.6 million drove under the

influence of illicit drugs. And the survey also showed that men are more likely

than women to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A higher percentage

of adults aged 21 to 25 drive after taking drugs or drinking than do young adults

aged 16 to 20 or adults 26 or older (NIDA, 2019). In addition, after alcohol,

marijuana is the drug most often found in the blood of drivers involved in crashes.

Tests for detecting marijuana in drivers measure the level of delta-9-

tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), marijuana’s mind-altering ingredient, in the blood.

But the role that marijuana plays in crashes is often unclear. THC can be

detected in body fluids for days or even weeks after use, and it is often combined

with alcohol. The vehicle crash risk associated with marijuana in combination

with alcohol, cocaine, or benzodiazepines appears to be greater than that for

each drug by itself.

A 2018 report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (2016) show

that 43.6% of drivers in FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) with known

drug test results were drug-positive. Over half of drug-positive drivers were

positive for two or more drugs and 40.7% of drug-positive drivers were also

positive for alcohol. Marijuana was the most common drug among fatally-injured

drivers -- its prevalence has increased in recent years as well as the prevalence

of opioids.

In 2019, of fatally injured drivers with known drug tests, 50.0 percent were

positive for drugs – legal and illegal. Alcohol use in combination with drug use
increases impairment. In 2019, the National Survey of Drug Use and Health

found that 36.3 percent of those reporting that they drove under the influence of

drugs within the past year also reported that they drove under the influence of

alcohol in the same time period. While generally understood as unsafe, research

is emerging on the specific dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and in

combination with alcohol (SafeTREC, 2022).

Mandatory Drug Testing and Alcohol Level Checking

The drug policy in the Philippines is written as the Comprehensive

Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 or Republic Act 9165. Unlike drug policies in other

countries, the law includes policies on drug testing. Aside from mandatory drug

testing for specific situations, the law states further that two testing methods

should be employed—a screening test, and a confirmatory test to be performed if

the former yields a presumptive positive result. Over 1000 drugs of abuse

screening laboratories are scattered all over the Philippines, but only seven can

perform confirmatory testing using either gas chromatography-mass

spectrometry (GC-MS) or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)

technologies. In the last 30 years, more sophisticated analytical technologies like

liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and high-

resolution mass spectrometry such as liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-

flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF/MS) have been developed not only to

confirm what has been detected on screening tests, but also to determine the

presence of new psychoactive substances that are not usually detected in drug
screening. New matrices are also being utilized for the detection of drugs. The

drug testing policy in the Philippines will have to keep up with the changing drug

trends and drug testing innovations in the world to truly address the current

administration's war on drugs. With the adoption of new drug testing methods

using modern analytical platforms, the cut-offs used for drug testing interpretation

should be updated.

Article 3 of the law addresses testing for dangerous drugs. Authorized drug

testing is mandatory for the following: applicants for firearms license and permit

to carry firearms outside of residence, military and law enforcement officers,

candidates for public office, and persons charged with criminal offenses who will

be serving time for more than six years. Authorized drug testing is also required

for students in secondary and tertiary schools depending on school policy and for

workers in government offices based on the drug free workplace program in the

specific office as well (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, 2002; Philippine

Drug Enforcement Agency [PDEA], n.d.). The clause requiring applicants for a

driver's license to have a drug test was repealed by the Anti-Drunk and Drugged

Driving Act of 2003 (Mendez, 2013). An authorized drug test is one that is

performed in a government forensic laboratory or any other drug testing

laboratory that has been accredited by the Department of Health through the

Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau. The law provides further that

two testing methods should be employed for authorized drug testing—a

screening test and a confirmatory test. The confirmatory test would be performed

if the screening test yields a presumptive positive result. The implementing rules
and regulations for the law tasked the Department of Health to accredit and

monitor these drug testing centers (PDEA, n.d.).

With the continuous increase of death due to drugged and drunk driving, the

Philippines had imposed a Mandatory Drug Testing and Alcohol Level Checking.

This implementation solely targets the PUV (Public Utility Vehicle) drivers in the

Philippines, as they are one of the most used types of transportation in the

country. One of the latest reports in the Philippine News Agency, drugged drivers

have been blamed for the increasing number of road traffic accidents (Caliwan,

2019). The Land Transportation Office said that they would heighten its

nationwide terminal inspection and quick random drug tests on drivers of Public

Utility Vehicles to prevent drunk or drugged driving among motorists. In a

statement sent to reporters, the LTO said its Law Enforcement Service-Anti-

Drunk and Drugged Driving Enforcement Unit recorded a total of 558 road crash

incidents from January to August 2022. August saw the highest number with 128

incidents, during which a total of 476 drivers tested positive for alcoholic

intoxication. The office's data also showed 17 fatalities and 281 injuries were also

recorded in that span of time. The LTO said the thrust is meant to prevent future

incidents by preventing drivers under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs from

driving vehicles by confiscating their driver’s license and requiring them to

undergo drug rehabilitation (Philstar, 2022). This emphasized the LTO’s aim in

reducing more possibilities of fatalities due to unlawful and irresponsible PUV

drivers.
 OPLAN HARABAS. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)

conducts "Oplan Harabas" which aims to curb vehicular accidents caused by

drivers under the influence of illegal drugs (PNA, 2022). The Oplan Harabas

initiative is in accordance with Republic Act (RA) 10856 or Anti Drugged Driving

Act of 2013, known as "An Act Penalizing Persons Driving Under the Influence of

Alcohol, Dangerous Drugs, and Similar Substances, and for Other Purposes. In a

press release, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Davao

Region (LTFRB-Davao) said that their office, in coordination with the Land

Transportation Office (LTO), and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency

(PDEA) conducted a surprise drug screening dubbed as "Oplan Harabas" on

Friday morning, October 28. According to PDEA, the individuals who tested

positive during the initial screening will still be subjected to confirmatory testing. If

found positive following the results of the confirmatory tests by PDEA, their

licenses would be withheld. It will also be PDEA that will clear those who will test

negative (Llemit, 2022). And based on PDEA monitoring from January 2013 to

January 2019, a total of 11,609 drivers, bus conductors, and dispatchers were

arrested for violation of RA 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of

2002 (Caliwan, 2019).

Establishing a response network that brings together different agencies and

organizations is also critical so that there is synergy in the efforts to combat the

social and health hazards of drug abuse. Ideally, the network can be effectively

run by a government-mandated center that would coordinate interagency

programs to educate the public on the psychosocial roots of drug use and abuse,
assist in conducting comprehensive drug surveillance, disseminate information

on current drug trends, coordinate drug law enforcement, oversee standardized

drug testing, implement effective drug rehabilitation programs, and assist in

designing impactful drug control and regulation policy (Dioquino, 2022).

Driving an automobile under the influence of any substance that impairs a

person's judgment or reflexes is a very dangerous thing to do. Driving always

should be done with a clear mind. A person's driving does not just involve just

that person, but any other person that is on the road at the same time.

Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
 The chapter presents the research methodology and procedures that will be

used in investigating this study. It also included discussion of the research

design, research environment, the respondents, data gathering procedures and

sampling technique in the research.

Research Design

This study will use descriptive research method. Descriptive research

method is a Descriptive research aims to accurately and systematically describe

a population, situation or phenomenon. It can answer what, where, when and

how questions, but not why questions. A descriptive research design can use a

wide variety of research methods to investigate one or more variables.

Descriptive research is an appropriate choice when the research aim is to identify

characteristics, frequencies, trends, and categories. It is useful when not much is

known yet about the topic or problem. Before you can research why something

happens, you need to understand how, when and where it happens (McCombes,

2019). And the design used to conduct this study is, cross-sectional design.

Research Participants and Sampling Technique

The research subjects and respondents are the daily commuters from

Pagadian City. The respondents are grouped according to which demographic

profile they belong. Each differs from age, gender, and educational attainment.

The researchers will choose 100 numbers of respondents to get the desired data

for the study. All respondents uses public utility vehicle such as bus as a means

of travelling. In conducting this study, the researchers will use a stratified

sampling tehnique. Stratified sampling involves dividing the population into

subpopulations that may differ in important ways. It allows to draw more precise

conclusions by ensuring that every subgroup is properly represented in the

sample. To use this sampling method, respondents are divide into subgroups

(called strata) based on the relevant characteristic, e.g., gender identity, age

range, income bracket, job role (Scribbr, 2019). And in this study, the data will be

gathered to which the researchers grouped according to age, gender, and

educational attainment to look-into the significant difference of perception of daily

commuters with the mandatory drug testing and alcohol level checking among

bus drivers in Pagadian City. The researchers will use a one-way analysis of

variance (ANOVA) in measuring the perception of the daily commuters towards

the mandatory drug testing and alcohol level checking of bus drivers in Pagadian

City.

Research Instrument

The perception of daily commuters about the Mandatory drug testing and

alcohol level testing is used in this study to answer the questions in the

investigation.The data relevant to the study will be through primary source using

self-made survey questionnaire that will be handed directly to the respondents

and aids with personal interviews for some issues not clear. The questionnaire

was adapted from the survey questionnaire by. This research instrument

identified to gather the response of people with different demographic

backgrounds specifically people grouped according to age, gender and

educational attainment. Specifically, the Perception of daily commuters survey

questionnaire is composed of 15 items questions.

Validity of the Instrument

The research instrument will be routed to the panelist and to the advisor for

content corrections and suggestions. After corrections are integrated, the

researcher will conduct the study.

Data Gathering Procedures

Prior to the conduct of the study, permission to float the questionnaires will

be obtained from the School Dean. After the approval, the questionnaires will be

administered to the participants. Attached to each questionnaire was a letter

explaining the intent of the study. The researcher will administer personally the

questionnaires to the respondents.

The study will be carried out in terminals in Pagadian City, as well as the City

Centre where commuters are much abundant and common. The researchers

choose The Perceptions of the Daily Commuters on the Mandatory Drug Testing

and Alcohol Level Checking of the Bus Drivers in Pagadian City and proceed to

propose their chosen study to their instructor for approval.

The following protocols in administering the questionnaire will be observed.

First, the respondents will be assured that the survey will keep their personal
information confidential. They will also be reminded of the purpose of the test and

the importance of genuine efforts and honesty to ensure the validity of the test.

Second, they were asked to sign the Informed Consent Form to confirm that they

agreed to take part in the study and that they understood their voluntary

participation in the study.

A self-administered survey is a questionnaire that is designed explicitly to be

completed by a respondent without an interviewer's assistance (or bias). Self-

administered surveys are widely used for collecting quantitative research data 22

(Bodine, 2022). The respondents will be asked to answer the 15 items of the

survey questionnaire. To determine their perceptions towards the study based on

their geographical profile, their answers will be gathered and computed.

Scoring Procedure

The researcher will utilize the Adjective Rating Scale, to represent

respondent feedback in a comparative form for the mandatory drug and alcohol

testing to bus drivers in Pagadian City. The survey respondents are expected to

rate an attribute or feature. The rating scale is a variant of the popular multiple-

choice question, which is widely used to gather the information that provides

relative information about a specific topic.

Table 1. 5-Likert Scale

Weight Mean Range Adjectival Rating

4 3.51-4.00 Strongly Agree

3 2.51-3.50 Agree

2 1.51-2.50 Disagree
 1 1.0-1.50 Strongly Disagree

Statistical Treatment

In gathering the appropriate data results for the study, the reseachers will use

different statistical tools to get the exact results in each specific problems, data in

relation to problem 1, frequency and Percentage Distribution Used to determine

the percentage usually for data on profile (Tabogoc, 2013). Given that the

problem needs to determine the demographic profile of the respondents, it is

appropriate to use the frequency and percentage distribution because it allows

you to get specific information from different backgrounds of the respondents. In

addition, it is helpful for the researcher because it helps them to have a glance at

the entire data conveniently.

For problem 2, Descriptive statistics, frequency, percentage and mean

distribution standard deviation. Descriptive statistics used to analyse data for a

single categorical variable include frequencies, percentages, fractions and/or

relative frequencies (which are simply frequencies divided by the sample size)

obtained from the variable's frequency distribution table (Curtin University, n/d).

Furthermore, it is a specific method that basically used to calculate, describe,

and summarize collected research data in a logical, meaningful, and efficient

way. Since this problem is about obtaining the perception of the respondents
(daily commuters) that came from different demographic backgrounds, it will

allow the researchers to interpret the collected data from the gathered

results/data, more precisely.

And for problem 3 ANOVA, the researchers will use a one-way analysis of

variance (ANOVA) in finding the significant difference of the data. The one-way

analysis of variance (ANOVA) is used to determine whether there are any

statistically significant differences between the means of three or more

independent groups (Doogue, 2019). The ANOVA test allows a comparison of

more than two groups at the same time to determine whether a relationship

exists between them. The result of the ANOVA formula, the F statistic (also

called the F-ratio), allows for the analysis of multiple groups of data to determine

the variability between samples and within samples (Kenton, 2022).

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