Over 500 Capitol workers undergo random drug test

A total of 517 employees of the Cebu provincial government were subjected to random drug testing yesterday.

This number is around 17 percent of the total number of employees in the Capitol. At present, there are 912 permanent, 586 casual, and 1,581 job order employees. Department heads were not exempted from the activity.

The drug test was announced after the flag raising ceremony. The test was facilitated by the staff of the Cebu Provincial AntiDrug Abuse Office (CPADAO) while the employees were randomly selected by the Human Resource Department.

CPADAO Officer Marlon Ligan said it was a regular activity of the provincial government.

“We’re doing this to promote a drug-free workplace in the Capitol,” he said.

Ligan said that there was a memorandum from the Civil Service Commission issued last April that all employees, elected or appointed, must undergo a drug test. Failure to submit would be tantamount to insubordination.

Yesterday, all randomly selected employees who reported on duty took the test. Although no one declined, there are some who were not able to take the test because they were absent.

The last random drug test was done in April this year. As reported, no one was found positive out of the 158 employees.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III reiterated that a Job Order (JO) employee will automatically be asked to resign if found positive.

Meanwhile, if a regular or casual employee is found positive, he or she is given 15 days to explain and is entitled to undergo a due process before a decision will be rendered.

The drug test results are expected to be out today.

The CPADAO will continue its random drug testing activities around the province.

“Mao ni siyay gikabisihan namo karon.Magtuyok mi sa probinsiya para mag-conduct og drugtest sa employees sa government hospitals, DepEd, PNP,” Ligan added.