COSAP puts on hold drug tests in barangays until new admin takes over

Cebu City’s barangay tanods getting their honoraria in this file photo. | CDN FILE PHOTO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Office for the Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) will not be accepting requests from barangays to conduct drug testing of barangay tanods until the new administration takes over.

Garry Lao, COSAP head, told CDN Digital in an interview on Friday, June 7, that it would no longer be of use if a barangay would request for the drug testing of barangay tanods since a new mayor would be taking over the city on June 30.

The mayor is the sole authority to give a certificate of authority to serve for the tanods in the barangay. The drug testing is required for the tanods to receive their honorarium because drug-positive tanods cannot receive their honoraria.

A new mayor means that tanods will have to seek again for the authority to serve from incoming Mayor Edgar Labella.

Lao said that the COSAP had been preparing for the transition to a new administration and ensure the services would not be affected especially the rehabilitation of the drug surrenderers.

One of the major changes in the COSAP’s role is the distribution of the tanod’s honoraria, which have been returned to the original implementor of the project, the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC).

Starting July 1, the ABC will be tasked to distribute the P4,000 honoraria of the tanods through the City Treasurer’s Office.

Read more: Cebu City’s tanods urged to continue working despite temporary suspension of honoraria

Lao said that the ABC had handled the distribution for years until outgoing Mayor Tomas Osmeña delegated the responsibility to COSAP to alleviate the load of the ABC.

The outgoing mayor, however, has returned the function to the ABC before he steps down on June 30.

Lao said that he had sent a member of COSAP to the ABC to help with the turnover of the documents and assure that the transition would not affect the distribution of the honoraria.

“There is only minimal effect to the transition. I assure the tanods that there will be no backlogs,” said Lao.

On June 10, tanods from 25 barangays in Cebu City will receive their honoraria as their documents have already been processed.

At least 500 tanods will receive their honoraria from barangays that include Binaliw, Cambinocot, Kamputhaw, Malubog, Banilad, Calamba, San Nicolas, Hipodromo, Tagbao, Apas, Luz, Adlaon, Sto. Niño, Taptap, San Roque, Pamucan, Tinago, Duljo Fatima, Kasambagan, Tejero, Pit-os, Basak San Nicolas, T. Padilla, Tabunan and Pahina Central. 

Tanods can claim their honoraria at the City Treasurer’s Office, and they must present one valid identification card./dbs