MCCI TO HELP FIRMS DEAL WITH DRUG ADDICT WORKERS

BUSINESSMEN in Mandaue City have embarked on a campaign to raise the
consciousness of the public against drugs.

In January, the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) will also
help businessmen deal with the problem of drug addicts in their employ.

In an interview last week, MCCI president Eric Mendoza said the group
decided on the campaign after the recent discovery of shabu laboratories in
the city, which has tarnished the reputation of Mandaue, a progressive city.

Law enforcers last October uncovered a big shabu manufacturing laboratory
in Barangay Uma-pad, a mini shabu lab in Barangay Paknaan and a warehouse
storing shabu precursors in Barangay Looc-all in Mandaue City.

Apprehend

Mendoza said the MCCI wants to teach businessmen how to handle the drug
addicts in the workplace.

"We know plenty of workers in the workplace that are already (into) drugs,
but we don't know how to apprehend them," he said.

Human resources personnel will, thus, be taught how to detect the presence
of these drug addicts and how to make them undergo drug testing "without
violating their human rights."

The business sector will also learn how to rehabilitate such workers.

MCCI will get the help of the Department of Social Welfare and Development,
Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Health, and the
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in this campaign to be called "Business
against Drugs."

The drug scandal has already spurred a similar effort by the Cebu Chamber
of Commerce and Industry, which launched the Piso Kontra Druga movement to
instill awareness among the citizens, especially the youth, on the dangers
of drugs.