Drug positive CH workers refuse rehab

CEBU, Philippines - Seven of nine Cebu City Hall employees earlier tested positive for illegal drug use continue to work despite their alleged refusal to undergo rehabilitation.

Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) head, Dr. Alice Utlang, reported the situation yesterday to the members of the City Council during a public hearing.

Following Utlang’s report, the members of the City Council has asked the personnel department “to submit their plan or what to do with the employees who were found positive of illegal drug use and did not submit themselves to the offered rehabilitation.”

Utlang said only nine out of the more than 1,000 employees of the city government were tested positive of illegal drug use during last month’s random drug test. Out of those found positive submitted themselves to drug rehabilitation.

In the barangays, 24 employees from Barangays Labangon, Apas, Guadalupe, and Binaliw submitted themselves to rehabilitation but most of them quit leaving only seven.

According to Utlang, majority of the barangay employees found to be using illegal drugs are drivers, loaders, Barangay Environmental Officers, blue guards, and those employees working at night shift.

Utlang also said that the number of barangays considered as “drug-free workplace” has decreased from eight to six after two employees of Barangays Buhisan and Agsungot tested positive of illegal drug use in another round of drug test.

Due to the rampant drug issues, Utlang has urged barangay officials to cooperate with them and be one in the aim to have a drug-free society and livable city.

“Drug is everybody’s problem and so we wanted all barangays to cooperate in the drug testing,” she said. —/FPL (FREEMAN)