• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Two more job order workers of the San Carlos City government tested positive for drug use, Mayor Renato Gustilo disclosed yesterday.
The two JO workers were among the 250 employees of the San Carlos City government, assigned at the City Agriculture’s Office, subjected to random drug testing on February 8 and 9, Gustilo said.
Last year, 18 San Carlos City government employees also tested positive for drug use, of which eight are regular employees.
Gustilo said that all JO workers that tested positive for illegal drugs have been dismissed outright from their respective jobs, while regular employees will undergo confirmatory testing.
Of the regular employees, who underwent confirmatory drug testing, those with results that turned out positive again were placed under the drug rehabilitation program, while one of them opted to resign from his job, the mayor further added.
Those who will refuse to undergo drug rehab, we will file charges against them, Gustilo said.
Random drug testing is a mandatory requirement of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) through Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, for a drug-free workplace, Ana Liza Macaraya, of the San Carlos City Anti Drug Abuse Council, said.
About 1,500 employees of the San Carlos City government were subject to random drug testing by the City Anti Drug Abuse Council last year.*