Gary Lao, City of Lapu-Lapu Office for Substance Abuse Prevention chief, is pushing for an ordinance to require businesses to have a drug-free workplace before they can renew their business permits. | Futch Anthony Inso
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — Business establishments in Lapu-Lapu City will soon be required to have a drug-free workplace before they can be allowed to renew their business permits.
This can happen if the proposal of City of Lapu-Lapu Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (CLOSAP) to have this kind of ordinance in the city will be submitted to the City Council and if the latter will pass it as an ordinance.
Garry Lao, executive director of CLOSAP, said that he had already talked to Councilor Emilio Galaroza, who agreed to sponsor the proposed ordinance in the city council.
“Dugay na ni natong pangandoy sa first term pa ni mayor, unya na-realize lang ni karon. Atong giduol si Councilor Galaroza, and I’m very happy nga si Councilor Galaroza, being the chairman sa dangerous drugs and health, he was working on it, ang atoang draft ordinance nga atong gi-submit ngadto niya iyang gi-revise, iyang gipanindot,” Lao said.
(This has been our long time dream, even from the first term of the mayor, then this was realized now. We approached Councilor Galaroza, and I’m very happy that Councilor Galaroza, being the chairman of dangerous drugs and health, he was working on it, our draft ordinance that we submitted to him had been revised by him and even made better.)
Lao said that the proposed ordinance would be endorsed to the city council in their regular session on Wednesday, September 14, 2022.
He said that they would also be consulting the City Legal Office and Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan regarding the proposed policy.
The proposed ordinance was entitled “An Ordinance Mandating Business Establishments within the Territorial Jurisdiction of Lapu-Lapu City to Execute and undertaking adhering to a “Drug-Free Workplace,” as a Requirement for the Acquisition or Renewal of Business Permits and Providing penalties for violation thereof.”
Under the proposed ordinance, Lao said that business establishments would be required to establish a drug-free workplace before their business permits could be renewed.
“Usa siya sa mga coverage nga the employers, part siya nga mapakita nga drug-free workplace ang ilang buhatan upon the renewal of their businesses,” he said.
(This is one of the coverage of the employers, this is part of showing their work area to be a drug-free workplace upon the renewal of the (permits of their) businesses.)
He said that with this, business establishments would now be required to conduct random drug tests on their employees.
The drug test will also be a part of the requirement for business establishments before accepting an applicant.
The ordinance will cover all types of business establishments.
“Ang maong ordinansa, dili guro ni para nako, on the part of CLOSAP, wala man guro ta’y nalabag ani kay kinsa ma’y ganahan ug empleyado nga tiggamitan?,” he said.
(The [proposed] ordinance, for me, on the part of the Closap, we have not broke any laws because what employer would want an employee who would use drugs?.)
“Is it expensive? No, rather than mas expensive kung ang imong empleyado mangawat tungod sa druga. Mas expensive guro kung ang imong empleyado unayon ka sa pagpangawat, mas expensive hinoon kung ang imong empleyado was arrested for using illegal drugs,” he said.
(Is it expensive? No, rather it would be more expensive if your employee would steal because of illegal drugs. It will be more expensive if your employee would steal from you, it will be more expensive if your employee would be arrested for illegal drugs.)
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