More than 350 Mabalacat City officials and employees submitted themselves to a surprise random drug testing conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 3 on Monday, right after the flag raising ceremony at the City Hall.
City Mayor Marino Morales, Vice Mayor Christian Halili, City Councilors, 27 barangay chairmen and government employees filled up the waiver form and were taken urine samples.
This is in compliance with the Civil Service Commission’s resolution dated March 15 to ensure that government agencies remain drug-free as a condition for continuous employment.
Currently, there are 1,993 permanent, casual and job order employees in the city hall.
“Uling ita mu pu ing manimuna kening siyudad tamu, dapat mu pu na maging tamung masanting a example kareng kabalen tamu. Ini pu suporta taya kang President Rodrigo Roa Duterte laban keng droga. Illegal drugs destroy families and hinder us from growth and development,” Morales said.
PDEA Agent Christian de Honor said employees who test positive will undergo another confirmatory testing before having filed with administrative charges and dismissal from office.
“With the level of collaboration and cooperation ng mga city officials and law enforcers, Mabalacat will be declared as the first city in Pampanga to be cleared from illegal drugs. Uumpisahan po natin ito sa pamamagitan ng barangay drug clearing operations at drug testing na pangungunahan ng ating mahal na Mayor Boking,” Honor said during the brief orientation.
Moreover, 18 out 27 barangays here are now drug-free.
According to PDEA, the official drug test results will be turned over soon to the city officials.
“We want to prove to our people that we are worthy of serving them. We will serve them with honor,” the local chief executive added.