Enroll tour guides who use illegal drugs in rehab program

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CPADAO) urged local tour operators and local government units (LGUs) to enroll their tour guides who tested positive of drug use in a drug treatment and rehabilitation program.

CPADAO Chief Ivy Durano Meca said it is not enough to cancel the permit to operate of those tour guides who are found positive of using illegal drugs, the tour operators or the LGU should also intervene and help the individual.

“Dapat maawhag unta sa LGU ang isig kapamilya ana nila for a treatment and rehabilitation program kay bisag unsaon nimo they are victims man gyud of the illegal drugs," Meca said.

Last March, at least 18 tour guides in Badian town tested positive of drug use in a drug test conducted by CPADAO.

Meca said she was informed that these tour guides were not allowed to work after the results were released.

However, she is not aware if they were enrolled in a community-based treatment program of the town.

Tour guides in Badian usually work for tour operators offering canyoneering, an extreme activity in Kanlaob River.

Meca said for an island known for its tourist destinations, tour operators and LGUs should make sure that the tourists will give a good feedback about their visit.

“Ang ako ra gyud awhag sa mga tour guides, be responsible. Act as professionals, especially you are handling tourists, local man o foreign. Educational attainment does not matter, ang ako nga be professional and one of that is to be cleared sa drugs,” she said.

“Of course we don’t want to give bad reputation nga feedback pud sa mga tourist.  We need to protect the image of the province of Cebu," Meca added. —/MBG (FREEMAN)