To: Bureau Directors
Directors of Services, Centers and Heads of Units
Regional Directors
Schools Division/City Superintendents
Heads, Public and Private Secondary Schools

1. This Department and the Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with the Dangerous Drugs Board announce the resumption of the Random Drug Testing (RDT) of students in public and private secondary schools on July 21, 2009, in compliance with a presidential instruction to conduct RDT pursuant to Section 36 (c) of Article III of Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002”. RDT teams shall be deployed initially in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Region VII to finish the schools not covered in February and March, 2009 then to the other regions, with actual schedules to be announced later.
2. The General Guidelines for the Conduct of Random Drug Testing were revised and approved by the Dangerous Drugs Board on June 3, 2009, through Board Regulation No. 3, series of 2009, copy enclosed. The revisions/amendments include the change of the title of the Board Regulation to cover not only secondary students but also students of tertiary, vocational and technical schools, as well. Other important amendments focus on the treatment of RDT results, enforcement and compliance and on the training of guidance counselors in handling drug abuse prevention programs and drug dependency cases.
3. Regional directors and schools division superintendents shall ensure and oversee the implementation of the Random Drug Testing in all secondary schools in accordance with the Guidelines. The designated regional coordinators of the National Drug Education Program (NDEP) are expected to be mainly responsible in disseminating the revised guidelines to the school principals/administrators, students and parents, preparing the schedules of school visits, and in monitoring the actual conduct of the RDT in schools.
4. At the school level, the following preparatory activities should be undertaken:
   – Create a Selection Board;
   – Send a written notification to the parents for their information;
   – Prepare the masterlist of the names of all students, numbering them consecutively.
   – Prepare a holding room near a comfort room as well as drinking water facilities and provide drinking glasses for the ten (10) randomly selected students; and
   – If possible provide a computer with MS Excel or scientific calculator for the random selection of students.
5. As in the past, the DOH personnel will actually administer the drug test to the randomly selected students in the schools. The trained DepED division medical officers and nurses-in-charge shall assist in the random selection of students for testing, filling-up of appropriate forms, orientation of the randomly selected students, collection of urine specimens and preparation of needed records and reports.
6. Funds covering expenses for the replication of notification forms, travel of regional and division facilitators and other administrative costs were already downloaded to the regions in February, 2009.
7. For more information, please contact Assistant Secretary Thelma G. Santos/Mrs. Rosario Magat, Program Coordinator, Health and Nutrition Center, DepED Central Office, Pasig City at tel. no.: (02) 638-8525 or (02) 632-9935.
8. Immediate and wide dissemination of this Memorandum is desired.

Encl.:
As stated References:
DepED Order: Nos. 7 and 17, s. 2009 Allotment: 1—(D.O. 50-97)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
DRUG EDUCATION
HEALTH EDUCATION
POLICY
SCHOOLS
STUDENTS

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