CEBU City Hall employees will no longer be given another chance to work if they are found positive of using illegal drugs.
Mayor Michael Rama issued this warning during yesterday’s news conference following the random drug tests conducted by the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse (Cosap).
For this year alone, Cosap reported that there were 10 City Hall employees who tested positive for drug use.
“Even if they are being identified only by hearsay or by eavesdropping, there should be no mercy,” said Rama, adding that drug users should be terminated from service. “That’s my directive... if they don’t value their employment.”
Cosap Chief Alice Utlang said that nine casual workers and one regular employee were found positive in the random drug test.
The recent drug test initiated by Cosap at City Hall was last Wednesday.
Rama said he already directed his chief of staff lawyer Dominic Diño and the Human Resource Department to act on the matter.
City Ordinance (CO) 1829, or the “Ordinance Requiring All Employees of the City Government of Cebu to Undergo Compulsory Drug Testing as a Pre-Employment Requirement and Annual at Random Drug Check-Ups” provides that employees who will be found positive during the test will be terminated.
The ordinance was authored by Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella in 2000 when he was still a councilor.
Refusal of an employee to submit himsefl to a drug test could be a sufficient ground for dismissal from service, according to Section 7 of the ordinance.
On the suggestion of Cosap to allow a City Hall employee to undergo a drug rehabilitation program, Rama said he will evaluate it.