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More than 500 PCSO employees undergo drug test


A total of 554 employees of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) underwent drug tesst on Monday to show support for the government's anti-illegal drugs campaign and to prove that the agency is drug-free.

In a press release on Tuesday, PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan said the drug test was administered to 54 employees from San Marcelino, 398 employees from the main office, and 102 from the Lung Center of the Philippines.

“Apart from the anti-illegal gambling campaign, PCSO is fully and strongly supporting the President’s all-out war on drugs,” Balutan said.

“This is not to ‘catch’ employees who are using drugs. The random testing is to promote safety by deterring regulated employees from misusing drugs and abusing alcohol,” he added.

As stated in the Civil Service (CSC) Memorandum Circular No. 13 s. 2017 issued on April 19, 2017, incumbent public officials and employees of government agencies and government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) shall be made to undergo a “mandatory, random, and suspicionless” drug testing as a condition for retention in service.

The drug test shall only be conducted by a government drug testing laboratory or by a drug testing laboratory that was authorized and accredited by the Department of Health (DOH).

“When you say mandatory, everyone can undergo drug test but as far as the choice of the date, time, and how frequent it is, there’s an element of surprise," said Dr. Bernard Regalado, medical director and head of drug testing laboratory of Asia Pacific Medical & Diagnostics, Inc.

"It may be the selection of employees itself or the date and time. No one knows until the day itself. In this case, there’s a particular target for a particular schedule,” Regalado added.

Regalado noted that if a government employee tested positive for illegal drugs, the case shall be treated as "medical issue or medical concern with utmost confidentiality."

“We don’t immediately judge the person based on one-time confirmed positive that he’s already drug dependent. This is only a medical issue or concern. This is not for outright termination. This is not even a criminal liability because he wasn’t diagnosed medically,” he explained.

The employee concerned must undergo a Drug Dependency Examination to be conducted by the DOH or by any of its accredited medical practitioners to determine whether he or she falls under the category of experimenter, occasional user, or chronic user or drug dependent.

When it comes to rehabilitation, Regalado said an employee must voluntarily submit himself or herself.

"He/She cannot be forced to undergo rehab because it is against his/her rights, however, a case may be filed against him/her if he/she doesn’t comply with the rehab program, either use of dangerous drugs or in possession," Regalado said.

Companies are encouraged to create rehabilitation programs to help their drug-dependent employees, although there are cheaper programs being offered by the government. — Anna Felicia Bajo/BM, GMA News

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