TO SHOW that the Mandaue City Government is serious in its anti-drug campaign, Mayor Jonas Cortes said all 27 barangays in the city will get P200,000 each, starting in January.
The barangays were initially given a budget of P50,000 for their drug abuse programs.
Cortes, Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede, the city councilors and employees of the Office of the Mayor and the City Council also underwent a surprise drug test conducted by the City Anti-drug Abuse Council (Cadac) on Monday, Nov. 18, 2019.
Around 150 persons underwent the test.
Cortes said the public should know that the City Government is clean and is sincere in complying with President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drugs directive.
“Dapat gyud natong barogan nga drug-free ang Mandaue (Let’s make sure that Mandaue City Government is drug-free),” he said.
He said employees or officials who test positive for drug use will undergo due process. If it turns out that they are highly-dependent on illegal drugs, then they will be dismissed, he said.
Also on Monday, Cadac launched the new office of the Mandaue City Substance Abuse Prevention Office (MCSAPO), a policy-making body that organizes projects and programs against drug abuse.
The launching was attended by city officials, Cadac employees and 703 “warriors,” or drug surrenderers who have undergone rehabilitation and drug surrenderers who are still undergoing rehabilitation.
City Councilor Nerissa Soon-Ruiz, the focal person of Cadac, said the City is celebrating Drug Abuse Prevention and Control week.
Other activities will include a logo-making contest and a poster-making contest for the new MCSAPO office. The culminating activity on Friday, Nov. 22, will be the distribution of bundles of joy that contain grocery items to the 703 “warriors.” (KFD)