Personnel of the Lapu-Lapu City Clearing Team undergo drug test on Wednesday morning, December 11, 2024.. / Photo: Contributed
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — All 42 employees of the Lapu-Lapu City Clearing Team tested negative for illegal drug use after undergoing a drug test on Wednesday morning, December 11, 2024.
Before the drug test, the employees were informed that they would be receiving flu vaccinations in coordination with the City Health Office.
After the vaccination, Clearing Team personnel were not allowed to leave the premises as the drug test commenced.
According to Noli Cernio, officer-in-charge of the Clearing Team, the measure was taken to ensure that none of his employees were using illegal drugs.
Of the 42 employees, seven were casual employees, while 35 were job order workers.
If a casual employee tests positive, the mayor will decide whether to terminate the employee. Meanwhile, job order employees who test positive will be automatically terminated.
Cernio stated that this was the first time this year that Clearing Team personnel underwent a drug test.
In January this year, a total of 115 job order employees and traffic enforcers who are employed by the Lapu-Lapu City Hall were subjected to a surprise random drug test.
Mayor Junard Chan supervised the conduct of the drug test that was part of his effort to determine who among the Lapu-Lapu City employees are hooked to the use of illegal drugs for the city government to impose the necessary sanctions.
This policy was in line with the drug-free workplace mandate of the Civil Service Commission (CSC).
Chan also issued Executive Order No. 35 in 2019, which mandates the strict implementation of a drug-free workplace policy across all departments and offices at the Lapu-Lapu City Hall.