DUMAGUETE CITY - For the first time here, city officials and employees submitted themselves to random drug testing Tuesday afternoon.
The first to undergo the test was Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo along with three city councilors who were at city hall when the activity was conducted by the City Anti Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) to promote a drug-free workplace.
City government operations officer Farah Gentuya said the law makes it mandatory for all local government units to undergo a drug test, and this was further enhanced by a local ordinance No. 67, series of 2014 authored by Councilor Lilani Ramon.
Dubbed as the ordinance enhancing the illegal drug-free workplace policy of the city government, it is aimed at safeguarding the integrity of its territory and the well being of its citizenry from the harmful effects of dangerous drugs in their physical and mental well being.
According to Gentuya, the policy applies to all employees of the city government, present, and future, elected, appointed, permanent, casual, contractual and co-terminus, without distinction as to rank, status or salaries.
She said interventions are in place for employees who would be found positive for use of the dangerous drugs.
She praised the city mayor for leading by example, with at least 17 employees under his office to undergo the random drug test and for 12 other employees of the Environment and Natural Resources Office (ENRO). Councilors Michael Bandal, Joe Kenneth Arbas, and Alan Gel Cordova were among the first city councilors who responded to the call for a drug test.
According to Gentuya, there will be no specific day, time or venue that the drug test will be conducted per department. The first was conducted inside the city local government operations office.
Employees found positive of illegal drug use will be subjected to another round of confirmatory drug test, this time by the police crime lab.
Funding for the random drug test comes from the CADAC allocation of more than PHP 2 million.
In an interview, Mayor Remollo said this is in support of President Rodrigo Duterte’s vigorous drive against illegal drugs aside from the conduct of various sporting events to keep the youth and Dumagueteños away from illegal drugs.
Remollo enjoined city hall employees to submit to the drug test because this is mandatory for all government employees.
The mayor received reports from his confidential informants that a number of employees are into illegal drugs. He urged them to voluntarily submit themselves to the test so interventions can be made, including rehabilitation, if found positive of drug use. (PNA) NOVEMBER 2017
* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at
www.wirenine.comLinkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=113607.0
