• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
An employee of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) assigned at the Bacolod-Silay Airport in Negros Occidental has been dismissed from government service after testing positive for drugs.
CAAP, which made the announcement on Monday, said that five other employees assigned at the Butuan Airport, General Santos International Airport, and Ozamiz Airport, suffered a similar fate.
A total of 1,703 personnel underwent random drug testing in at least 14 of the 44 CAAP-operated airports, from February to August.
The drug testing, CAAP said, aligns with the Philippine Civil Aviation Regulation on Psychoactive Testing and Reporting, and the Civil Service Commission which requires mandatory drug testing for new government employees and for employees who remain in government service.
“The Authority continues to prioritize this initiative. The safety and efficiency of aviation operations greatly depend on the physical and mental well-being of all aviation personnel,” Dr. Rolly Bayaban, chief flight surgeon of CAAP’s Office of the Flight Surgeon and Aviation Medicine, said in a news release.
“CAAP assures the flying public that every flight within Philippine airspace is supported by a capable, drug-free workforce committed to the highest standards of aviation safety,” it said.
CAAP said it continues to enforce strict monitoring protocols and reinforce personnel accountability to safeguard passenger safety and maintain public trust.* with PNA reports
