LCR-GSC ADVOCATES DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (April 27, 2022) - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Sarangani Provincial Office conducted a seminar about illegal drugs and the Drug-Free Workplace Program for the government sector.

The staff of the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of General Santos City was one of the LGU departments that was encouraged to participate in the said seminar. The LCR staff gladly participated and were able to sign the attendance sheets as their basis for the certificate of appearance.

The participants were instructed to gather in Room 1, where the PDEA Seminar would be conducted. The speaker then introduced herself and introduced the topics and their importance.

Cyril L. Aguirre, the resource person for the seminar, gave a brief introduction to drugs and drug abuse, classifications of drugs, and the abused drugs often used in the Philippines.

She further discussed the various kinds of illegal drugs, their labels, and their composition. Getting through this topic helps the participants understand how certain drugs are harmful to the human body because of their dangerous compositions.

She also stressed the adverse effects of drugs on our bodies. Part of the discussion is asking why people turn to drugs. The speaker stressed that drug addiction is a family disease. One person may use it, but the whole family suffers. To continue the discussion, the next topic of the speaker was the R.A. 9165: Article II, The Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002.

The speaker also talked about the different illegal things people do and the punishments they get if they are caught.

The second part of the activity is the Drug-Free Workplace Program. Discussed by the speaker, Intelligence Officer Frances Jane Beckley, are the guidelines for the formulation and implementation of a drug-free workplace program and the conduct of authorized drug testing by all offices, bureaus, and agencies of the national and local governments; government-owned and controlled corporations; and other institutes of learning, including state colleges and universities. Here are the consequences for a government worker who tests positive for drugs and what the head of the agency does to make sure the workplace is drug-free.

The participants raised questions after the discussion of the topics, and the resource person answered them all. The speaker thanked the participants for actively participating in the activity, and everyone gathered to take a picture together with the speaker holding a tarpaulin stating "Drug-free Workplace Orientation."