DRUG-FREE. Employees of the Maguindanao del Sur provincial government submit themselves to drug tests at the provincial capitol in Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur on Monday (July 8, 2024). The drug testing continued Tuesday (July 9) to complete the 476 list of workers currently employed by the provincial government. (Photo courtesy of Maguindanao Sur-PIO)
BULUAN, Maguindanao del Sur – To ensure all provincial government workers are not users of prohibited substances, Maguindanao Governor Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu ordered a drug test on Monday and Tuesday.
“The initiative is in line with the drug-free workplace program of Gov. Mangudadatu,” the provincial government information office said in a statement Tuesday.
Records showed that 300 of the provincial government's 476 permanent employees, job orders and consultants submitted urine samples at the capitol on Monday afternoon.
The rest complied on Tuesday, administered by the Integrated Provincial Health Office and the Philippine National Police administered.
So far, no one among the employees turned out positive for drug use.
“Mustapha,” one of the employees who was among the first to submit urine samples, said in an interview that he supports the move to clear doubts about illegal drug use in offices of the provincial government.
“This is for our benefit and that of our clients,” he said.
Any employee found positive for drug use would be subjected to a confirmatory test by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Mangudadatu said if confirmed positive, the employee must undergo a rehabilitation program. (PNA)
