MAYOR BATS FOR ABOLITION OF DRUG TESTING CENTERS

BAIS CITY, Negros Oriental -- Mayor Hector Villanueva pushed for the
abolition of drug testing centers throughout the country, saying it is
ineffective in detecting drug users who have been able to land work in
local government units (LGUs).

Villanueva's sentiment came after he disclosed that in his house
cleaning at the Bais City Hall, he has netted an initial eight drug
dependents, both users and dealers of illegal drugs.

He ordered the eight to be sent to the Negros Oriental Drug
Rehabilitation Center based in Dumaguete City.

The mayor said the present mechanisms of conducting drug tests with
the use of urine are ineffective because they do not prevent
manipulation.

In the province, private testing centers proliferate after drug
testing became one of the basic requirements in securing a driver's
license.

Villanueva proposed that instead of urine, blood samples should be
tested.

He admitted that blood test is expensive but is one of the effective
means of determining if a local chief executive is serious enough in
driving out the menace from his locality and particularly from the LGU
workforce.

Villanueva also said he would present his proposal to the League of
Cities for its possible adoption by LGUs.

He added he has instructed officials assigned to the city's laboratory
to conceptualize a mechanism that would lead to using blood samples
from an individual in determining whether he or she is a drug
dependent before accepting him or her as an employee of City Hall.

The mayor said he would implement drug testing with the use of blood
samples.