DURANO-MECA
THE Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CPADAO) called on the provincial office of the Department of Education (DepEd) yesterday to require their teachers to undergo mandatory drug testing.
CPADAO chief Ivy Durano-Meca told the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to have all government employees undergo a drug test, and it would be good to require teachers to be tested before classes start in June this year.
“I really encourage DepEd to really implement already the drug-free workplace policy in light of the Civil Service memorandum signed in March this year,” Meca said.
Meca said government employees who refuse to undergo drug tests will be dismissed from service.
“I only received a letter from DepEd letting us know that they created a committee to deal with teachers who tested positive of illegal drugs,” Meca said.
Under the guidelines, CPADAO cannot initiate the drug testing on all teachers. Meca said they can only do tests on per request basis.
“Without their initiative we cannot implement drug tests on their employees. We are merely a coordinating body,” she said.