Gov: Drug tests for teachers needed

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III urged the schools to take immediate action against the teacher arrested in a drug bust operation in Madridejos town Wednesday night.

Davide said teachers who are involved in illegal activities, especially in illegal drugs, don’t have a place in schools, since they will just bring bad influence to their students.

“We don’t need that kind of teachers sa eskwelahan. Dapat i-discipline gyud or unsa ba, kon grabe na tangtangon or unsa ba,” Davide said.

Pablito Miro, a college teacher and a resident of Barangay Talisay in Santander, Cebu and five senior high schools students were caught by Madridejos policemen with four small packs of white substance believed to be shabu.

Following the arrest, the governor urged the Department of Education to intensify the implementation of the mandatory drug testing to teachers.

“As a matter of fact we’ve been telling DepEd bitaw to enforce mandatory drug testing for teachers. Apparently, wala pa kayo mokuan ang DepEd ana,” Davide said.

The governor thinks that DepEd might not have enough funds for the drug testing.

“We are ready to help. Ang CPADAO (Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office) is willing to assist them, i-implement gyud na,” Davide said.

Since last year, the CPADAO has been conducting drug tests to several public and private schools in the province of Cebu.

In fact, one teacher from Danao City who was confirmed to be using drugs in the screening is now undergoing treatment as an outpatient in a rehabilitation program.

CPADAO Chief Ivy Durano-Meca said their office will also coordinate the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for the implementation of the drug free workplace.

“The more there is a must for the implementation of the DepEd Order Number 40 and Number 37 which states for a mandatory drug testing for teachers as well as for the implementation of the random drug testing for students for secondary and tertiary,” Meca said after learning the arrest of the college teachers and its students.

The CPADAO, she said, is now continuing its move steps for anti-drug education program among youths in the province especially that their data showed that about 1,864 minors are drug users.

These youths came from 49 local government units from Cebu Province and 90 percent of them are males.

Meca said they are continuing its efforts in educating the youth about the danger of using drugs.

Part of their steps is the implementation of Sugbo Kontra Droga through the Youth Making a Difference (YMAD) where personnel form CPADAO conduct seminars among students and youths about local drug issues.

Last Wednesday the group went to Poro town where about 600 students attended the seminar.

“CPADAO aims to educate the youth what a drug does to them, and how using it is a trap. CPADAO Team explains why it may make them "feel good" for a short period but what actually will happen to them if they take it,” Meca said.