About 1,800 Negros Occidental provincial government employees were subjected to surprise drug tests at the Capitol in Bacolod City Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 17 and 18, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.
The employees subjected to drug tests were 700 from the provincial government hospitals and 1,100 from the Capitol, he said.
They are the second wave of provincial government employees subjected to drug tests this year, Diaz said.
He said the drug testing is part of the drive of Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson to ensure a drug-free work environment.
“It’s a very serious campaign and we hope to clean our house of users and abusers of illegal substances,” Diaz said.
Regular employees who earlier tested positive for drugs who underwent rehabilitation at their own expense were given a second change to return to work, he said.
The contracts of job order, contract of service and casual employees who tested positive for drugs earlier this year were not renewed in July, Diaz said. *