Employees in business establishments in Navotas will now be required to undergo annual drug test following the city’s enactment of a drug-free workplace ordinance.
The Navotas City Council passed City Ordinance No. 2023-23 requiring select businesses in Navotas to maintain a safe and healthy environment, free from dangerous drugs.
Covered establishments include KTV bars, nightclubs, super clubs, spa, massage parlors, disco houses, bars, and restaurants.
Also included are businesses with five or more workers.
“We will continue to exert all efforts to keep both residents and workers in Navotas safe from the menace of illegal drugs,” Mayor John Rey Tiangco said.
Under the ordinance, business establishments must increase awareness and education of their employees and clients about the effects of illegal substances.
Business owners and employers must also require their officers and employees to undergo random drug testing and ensure that no prohibited drugs are brought or used in their workplace.
The employer shall shoulder the expenses for drug testing and confirmatory tests.
If an employee tests positive, the establishment shall refer them to a center accredited by the Department of Health for evaluation. It shall also submit a list of names of personnel, who tested positive, to the Navotas City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (NADAC).
The establishment’s drug prevention and control program shall also include treatment and rehabilitation, as well as assistance and counseling for emotionally-distressed employees.
Meanwhile, NADAC shall facilitate the necessary intervention and rehabilitation programs for those found positive for illegal drug use.
It shall also coordinate with the Navotas City Police and the City Business Permits and Licensing Office (CBPLO) for intervention operations and imposition of penalties.
For the first offense, erring establishments will be slapped with a fine of P5,000 and suspension of business operation pending compliance. Continued non-compliance will result in the revocation of their business permit. –