After Cebu City officials: Employees next in drug testing

CEBU, Philippines - After elected officials of the Cebu City government underwent a drug test early this week, employees of the city government are next to be subjected to the drug screening.

Together with the Cebu City Health Department and Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) will be conducting a surprise drug screening to some of the 5,000 employees of the city government.

COSAP head Dr. Alice Utlang said they will do it anytime after the information drive on Jan. 29 so as to inject thorough information to the employees on the extreme ill-effects of illegal drugs to a person’s health.

The drug testing for employees was discussed during the Cebu City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Cadac) meeting on Thursday afternoon at the office of the Vice Mayor.

It was the first meeting since it was organized in 2012 and was attended by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, Councilor and Chairperson of the Committee on Public Order and Safety Richard Osmeña, Utlang, and other Cadac members.

“Gi-discuss namo unsay angay buhaton, how to go about the city hall and its employees, as to what department ang bantayan nga possible nga daghang naggamit sa illegal drugs,” Utlang said.

She detailed that they will have a surprise visit to some of the city hall’s 22 departments  and no one will be allowed to leave the office when the test starts.

Psychologists, policemen and peace and order staff under the Cebu City government will help monitor the employees.

Utlang said the test usually takes five minutes. She further explained the process of drug testing, likening it to a pregnancy test, although two lines are already visible in the test kit. She said that after the test and when one line disappears from the kit, it would possibly mean that the one who underwent the drug test is either positive for shabu or marijuana.

Meanwhile, Mayor Rama reminded the employees to heed the law for them not to be reprimanded or worse, lose their jobs.

“Aw taktak sila. Kung casual samot. Molabaw pa sila sa mayor, ang mayor man mohatag og guidelines ug kamanduan tapos magbuot sila. Di taktak sila,” Rama said prior to his drug screening on Thursday.

Rama said the casual employees caught using illegal drugs would be fired while the regular employees would be made to undergo treatment and rehabilitation. Utlang also said that the COSAP would help the employees in terms of counseling and monitoring.

Based on city Ordinance 1829, all employees of the city government of Cebu are required to undergo compulsory drug testing as pre-employment requirement and annual random drug check-ups.

Last week, Councilor Osmeña authored a resolution to enact the said ordinance while, Councilor Alvin Dizon backed the main measure with his corollary motion to include all elected officials of the city government to undergo the drug screening.

In a press conference yesterday, Rama said that whatever would be the result of the drug screening, both for the officials and the employees, it would all be considered as “confidential.”

“I don’t think it would be proper nga i-announce, it’s not good. Whatever nga naay problem, silently it will (be) coursed through the HRDO (Human Resource Development Office). We have to remember kanang drugs (users), not to be condemned but they should be made to do their soul-searching,” he said. —ATO (FREEMAN)