SP OKs ordinance to back Guv Pogi
MANDATORY DRUG-TESTING
LINGAYEN—The Sanggunian Panlalawigan finally passed an ordinance on August 1 implementing mandatory random drug test among provincial government employees.
Fourth District Board Member Jeremy Agerico Rosario, author of the ordinance, said the requirement for drug-testing for employees of public offices is anchored on Section 36 (d) of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
“Considering the well-being of employees, the satisfactory accomplishment of public service, and the paramount need to uphold and maintain public trust, it is necessary to have public servants who are drug-free,” the ordinance said.
The ordinance was passed in support of Gov. Amado Espino III’s earlier directive when he issued Executive Order No. 0084-2016 dated July 27, 2016 ordering the mandatory random drug test for officials and employees of the provincial government.
The ordinance clarified that the primary intent of its passage “is not criminal prosecution, but to uphold and maintain public trust in the provincial government of Pangasinan”.
Employees may even be exempted from criminal liability should the illegal drug user consent to undergo rehabilitation, it added.
The testing will be done by any government forensic laboratory or by any of the accredited drug-testing laboratories accredited and monitored by the Department of Health to safeguard the quality of test results. It will employ two testing methods: the screening and confirmatory tests.
The ordinance also encouraged elected officials to voluntarily take the drug test to encourage and inspire the rank and file employees.
Component local government units are also encouraged to replicate the efforts of the provincial government in order to create a ripple effect for all public servants in the province of Pangasinan, it added.
Drug-testing shall be done at least once a year and no prior announcement will be made.
The provincial government shall shoulder the cost of the drug test and will be sourced from anti-drug abuse funds. (Tita Roces)
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