Drug, roadworthiness tests at bus terminals as PH readies for Undas 2026

Authorities carried out drug and alcohol tests on provincial bus drivers and tested buses for roadworthiness at several terminals in Metro Manila ahead of the expected deluge of passengers leaving town for Undas 2026.

With a few days to go before the Undas properly begins at the weekend, many people are already at the bus terminals, having decided to leave to beat the bulk of the holiday rush.

In Mark Salazar's report on Saksi on Monday, Samantha Pilapil was among the passengers waiting to board the bus to Masbate at a terminal in Cubao, Quezon City.

"Kaya ako bumiyahe nang maaga kasi ayoko pong makisiksik sa maraming tao," she said, cradling one-year-old child on her lap.

(I'm traveling early because I don't want to squeeze in with the crowds.)

Some buses were also stopped from traveling due to deficiencies, with passengers having to disembark to move to another bus.

"Ilang lipat na po kami, sobra nang init ng panahon," one complained.

(We've had to move so many times, and it's so hot.)

According to the Land Transportation Office (LTO), 51 out of 52 passenger buses passed the roadworthiness inspection conducted at the terminals in Manila, Parañaque and Caloocan City. The lone failure didn't pass due to a broken reverse light and plate light, and an expired fire extinguisher. The driver was instructed to have the defects repaired and the expired fire extinguisher replaced before traveling again.

Drug, alcohol tests

None of the bus drivers tested positive for alcohol, the authorities said after conducting breathalyzer tests. However, there were some positive drug tests.

"After the field tests and the result yielded positive, ikinukumpiska natin yung [we confiscate the] driver's license, at yung person na nag-positive sa drug test will be subjected to rehabilitation" said retired Police Brigadier General Allan Nobleza of the LTO law enforcement service.

At the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), there were no positive alcohol tests but one positive drug test.

"Out of 85 so far na tinest po natin na mga drivers, may nag-positive pong isa," said Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Don Artes. "So kinausap po namin siya ni RD Carreon kanina, at itinanggi po niya na siya po ay gumamit ng droga. So isa-subject po iyan sa confirmatory test...kasi minsan daw lalo na pag may iniinom na gamot na certain types of medicine, nagre-react yung test kit, that's why we have to have a confirmatory test."

(Out of 85 so far tested, one has tested positive. We talked to him and he denied using drugs. So he will undergo a confirmatory test, because sometimes the test kits may react to certain types of medicine, that's why we have to have a confirmatory test.)

"Pag na-rule out talaga na hindi droga ang nag-trigger ng [If illegal drugs are ruled out as the reason for the] presumptive positive result, then by all means his license will be released back to him and he will be allowed to travel," added Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-National Capital Region (PDEA-NCR) Regional Director Derrick Carreon.

The PITX is expecting a passenger volume of 1.8 million in the period from October 31 to November 3.

"This is not as high as expected, kasi nakita natin this time meron tayong isa pang long weekend na ina-anticipate, which is the ASEAN long weekend," said PITX spokesperson Jason Salvador. "So baka naman yung iba sa kababayan natin hindi na makikipag-sabayan sa rush ngayon and piliin nilang umuwi sa kanilang mga probinsiya sa ASEAN holiday."

(This is not as high as expected, because this time we have another long weekend, the ASEAN long weekend. So maybe some of our compatriots have decided not to deal with the Undas rush and instead go home for the ASEAN holiday.)

November 16, 17 and 18 have been declared special non-working days in the National Capital Region in connection with the country's hosting of the ASEAN and related summits.

NAIA preps

Meanwhile, the country's gateway NAIA is preparing for an estimated 1.25 million passengers during the Undas travel period from Oct. 27 to Nov. 4, with airport authorities projecting Oct. 30 to be the busiest day.

In a news release, New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), the airport operator, said it expects passenger traffic during the nine-day period to increase by 1% from the 1.24 million recorded during the same period last year. About 149,000 travelers are expected to pass through the airport on Oct. 30 alone.

To manage the holiday rush, NNIC said it would deploy additional personnel, strengthen security and passenger assistance services, and maintain round-the-clock monitoring of airport operations. — BM, GMA News

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