- CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Bacolod City government is preparing to enforce a Civil Service law requiring all officials and employees to undergo random drug testing.
Mayor Alfredo Benitez said in a press conference this morning, Aug. 7, that there is a Civil Service circular mandating public officials and employees to undergo mandatory testing against the use of illegal substance every two years.
But he noted that since drug test kits are also costly, appropriate considerations should also be made.
Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular 13, series of 2017, states the guidelines in the mandatory random drug test for public officials and employees, including national government agencies, government-owned or controlled corporations, and state universities and colleges, regardless of rank, status, and salary.
These guidelines aim to ensure that government agencies remain drug-free by subjecting public officials and employees to a random mandatory drug test, as a condition for continuous employment, the Circular stressed.
“Drug testing shall remain a requirement for initial entry to government service for appointive public officials and employees. Any applicant found positive for drug use shall be denied entry to government service,” it added.
The CSC said the frequency of subsequent random drug tests shall take into consideration the number of public officials and employees, nature of work being discharged, funding, and other logistics. “Subsequent random testing shall be periodically conducted in an interval not to exceed two years.”
Benitez said the city wants to be “helpful and not punitive” on those who tested positive for illegal drug use.
One of the recommendations for the 53 personnel of the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office and the Public Order and Safety Office, who yielded positive results during a drug test last week was participation in the drug use assessment set Aug. 10.
Another is inclusion in the city rehabilitation and other intervention treatment programs, and those who successfully undergo the program will have a chance of re-employment after a rigid assessment./CGC
