The City of Dumaguete will dismiss more workers due to illegal drug use.
The dismissal of employees, which is in addition to the 30 employees whose contracts were not renewed for testing positive of illegal drug use, was announced after the results of new drug tests were released.
The results of the random and surprise drug tests in the city hall surprised the respective heads of departments and divisions especially that some of those who tested positive are women and have been in the service for several years.
City Assistant Administrator Dr. Dinno Depositario shared that as a policy, the city government will conduct confirmatory tests to all city hall employees even if they have already obtained results from accredited drug testing laboratories.
Depositario said this is to ensure that possible lapses can be avoided considering that the tests in the city hall are random and unannounced if compared to those taken in the drug testing centers, which are pre-scheduled.
However, he said all the dismissed employees were also given a second chance by enrolling in a rigid voluntary recovery program sanctioned by the city government, which will determine if they have totally kicked the habit and maybe reconsidered for re-employment.
Depositario explained that upon dismissal, the employee was asked to fill out an information sheet if they would like to undergo the recovery program, but some of those who were dismissed for illegal drugs use did not return the forms.
The random drug tests is to comply with the national campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte to fight illegal drugs and pursuant to the directive of Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo to ensure that the city hall will be drugs-free. (City PIO)
