13 Pasig employees to undergo drug rehab

MANILA, Philippines — Thirteen of 700 traffic enforcers of the Pasig City hall who tested positive for drug use last week would undergo rehabilitation to be shouldered by the city government, Mayor Vico Sotto announced yesterday.

“We will be enrolling them in a drug rehabilitation facility,” Sotto said in a statement.

While the local government would be deferring to the Civil Service Commission policy on relieving the enforcers from duty, Sotto said he is open to hire the employees again if they overcome their addiction and mend their ways.

Data showed that there are around 2,700 patients enrolled in the city’s community-based drug rehabilitation program.

Last week, the local government signed a memorandum of agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to boost the city’s campaign against illegal drugs.

“The USAID is helping us in tracking, monitoring and evaluating the progress of former drug dependents,” Sotto said.