Since February this year: Over 100 brgy workers identified as “drug users”

CEBU, Philippines - At least 134 barangay workers from 12 Cebu City barangays were found positive of illegal drugs use during a series of surprise screenings by the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention since February this year.

COSAP Chief Garry Lao told The FREEMAN that the purpose of the drug test every year is to make sure that each barangay is a drug-free workplace.

He identified the 12 as barangays Poblacion Pardo, Malubog, Bonbon, Talamban, Banilad, Kinasang-an, Tejero, Kasambagan, Kamputhaw, Taptap, Pamutan, and Hipodromo.

Lao said they are intensifying the campaign because barangays are supposed to serve as role models to the public.

He said, though, that those found positive would still be subjected to confirmatory test in Manila. COSAP has set aside P 1 M for the drug testing this year.

Lao said that if the confirmatory test would show the same result, the workers would automatically be fired from their work and should enroll themselves in the city’s We Care program for their rehabilitation.

The workers had a chance to be reinstated after they undergo rehabilitation and are able to submit a certification that they are already cleared of drugs.

Meanwhile, COSAP held random drug test among the 72 barangay Hipodromo workers and officials  yesterday morning, with one barangay garbage loader testing positive.

Hipodromo Barangay Captain Petronilo Fat Jr. said the worker who was found positive in the confirmatory test will be removed, as mandated by law.

He said no one was absent during the surprise test since he required all the workers to attend the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) symposium prior to the test.

“Submit ra ang tanan.  After nitawag si Garry nako nga mag-random drug test, ni-okay ra ko dayon gyud. Ganahan ra ko nga ma-drug test kay ma-clear nako from drugs ang atoang working environment,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lao said his office is now profiling the drug surrenderers in the respective barangays after meeting with and explaining the purpose of the campaign to the barangay captains.

He said the program is just meant to identify and encourage drug surrenderers to enroll in the We Care program of the city.

 “They were first profiled to determine who among them are experimental, occasional, or heavy compulsive users and drug dependents. This will help us in determining the suitable treatment for each one, which may be a center-based or community-based rehabilitation program,” Lao said.

He said current enrollees are from barangays Sambag 2, Bonbon, Buot, Quiot, Taptap, Tabunan, and Cogon Pardo.

Record shows that of 237 enrollees of the seven barangays, only 74 are active until now.

Once a certain surrenderer enrolls in the We Care program, Lao said he would have to undergo a three-month session, which would include counseling, home visit, narcotic anonymous sessions on recovering from the addiction, among others. (FREEMAN)