Senator Paolo Aquino IV on Wednesday said he has been assured by law enforcement agencies that results of random drug testing in schools will remain confidential.
Aquino said officials of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Department of Education (DepEd) have guaranteed that the mandatory testing will not tread on the rights of students, but is meant to be a gauge of the prevalence of illegal drugs in schools.
He said law enforcement officials made the commitment at the hearing of the Senate committee on education saying results of drug testing will be confidential and will not be used in “shame” campaigns.
“If somebody found a student positive for drug use, they cannot use that information to expel a child from school. There’s a lot of confidentiality involved,” said Aquino, who heads the education committee.
Aquino also said the DepEd and other government agencies will be helping students who will test positive through a rehabilitation program and peer counseling.
“They should be assisted so they can surpass their problems. Maybe they can be sent to rehabilitation centers or they can undergo drug intervention programs,” the senator said.
Also during the hearing, Aquino urged concerned government agencies to consolidate and update all drug prevention programs to eradicate the drug menace.
It was Aquino who filed Senate Resolution No. 168 that seeks to determine the status of drug education and prevention programs in schools and alternative learning systems (ALS).
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