MANDATORY DRUG TEST

LINGAYEN – Governor Amado “Pogi” I. Espino, III led officials, heads of office and employees during the second day of the mandatory drug testing last August 24 at the Pangasinan Training and Development Center.

The provincial chief executive was first to arrive at the venue to take the unprecedented drug-use assessment for provincial government workforce in the Philippines. He tested “negative” of substance use.

“This is done not only to support the national drug eradication campaign by President Rodrigo R. Duterte, but also a time to prove to Pangasinenses that we, their public officials, are trustworthy of public service,” he said.

Guv Pogi shows documents certifying to his submission of specimen for the drug test.

He stressed that the drug test is the best venue for any person, government officials in all levels as well as ordinary employees, to clear one’s name from any links to drug use and trade.

“So this is one of the processes to prove if they are positive or not in illegal substance abuse. It is a very short procedure. It is finished in just 5-10 minutes, enough to dispel all the allegations hurled against you,” Gov. Espino said.

Other provincial officials who followed the provincial chief executive in taking the test were: Vice Gov. Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr., and Board Members Napoleon Fontelera, Jr., Antonio Sison, Nestor Reyes, Generoso Tulagan, Jr., Jeremy Agerico B. Rosario, Chinky P. Perez-Tababa, Clemente Arboleda, Jr. and Noel Bince.

The total turnout for the two-day initial drug use check was 2,219 or 85 percent of 2,645 employees from the 34 provincial government offices based in the Capitol Compound or half of the entire manpower count of 4,600 for the provincial government.

Gov. Espino said another drug test will be scheduled for those failed to take the test.

Dr. Anna Ma. Teresa De Guzman, provincial health officer, said that an onsite drug test will be held for the other personnel population assigned in the 14 provincial owned-and-operated hospitals and other field offices spread in key municipalities and cities of Pangasinan.

It was on Aug. 23 when the governor surprised its employees with mandatory drug testing.

The test had two parts: first, the screening test conducted by the Provincial Health Office, where urine samples from randomly selected employees were taken and right away examined using a drug-testing kit.

If an employee’s specimen tested “positive”, he will be directed to take the confirmatory test to be conducted by the Philippine National Police-Pangasinan crime laboratory.

In an earlier interview, Col. Jackie Candelario from the PNP-Pangasinan, extolled Gov. Espino’s saying, “This shows his quick response to our campaign against illegal drugs.”

The on-the-spot drug testing for the whole provincial government personnel is the first in the country, said De Guzman. (RCL_PIO)

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