Thirty private companies have joined forces with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the anti-drugs war in the country.
The partnership was announced during the launch of the “BIDA (Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan) Workplace” at Eastwood Richmonde Hotel in Quezon City on Thursday.
DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr. enjoined private companies to have their own anti- drug policy and conduct random drug testing of their employees to reduce the use of illegal drugs.
“BIDA Program is all about shared responsibility in countering illegal drugs, and BIDA Workplace is our bid to forge dependable partnerships with the private sector. You will take care of your own internal mechanism but what is important is that every company would have a drug policy because they will be afraid to use it,” Abalos said.
According to the Secretary, the BIDA Workplace was part of the government’s whole-of-nation approach to fight and eradicate illegal drugs throughout the country. Through this, he said, other aspects of the BIDA program will gradually achieve the drug-free status of the Philippines.
He said he was happy with the solidarity of private companies that joined the program, and their desire to heed the DILG in subjecting their employees to drug tests.
The partnership was formally launched through the signing of an agreement by Abalos and representatives of the private firms including the Philippine Long Distance Telephone, Smart Communications, Maynilad, Meralco, Jollibee Food Corporation, Max’s Group, Inc., Megawide Corporation, SM Corporation, Megaworld, Philippine Airlines, McDonald’s, Nestle, Aboitiz, San Miguel Corporation, Metro Pacific Tollways, ETON, Ayala, Converge ICT Solutions, Inc., Blue Cross, Bench, Gokongwei Group, Lopez Holdings Corporation, RFM Corporation, Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Inc ., Foodee Global Concepts, Cherry Mobile, Mary Grace, UERM Medical Center, and the University of the East.
First Lady Louisse Araneta Marcos expressed her support to the DILG and the private sector in their initiative to unite to ensure the existence of safe and drug-free workplaces in the country.
“On behalf of my husband, thank you, DILG, thank you, private sector. Thank you for the support you’ve given and continue to give for my husband’s war against drugs. Thank you for your commitment to make our Filipino communities safe and drug free,” she said.
As a demonstration of their support and commitment to the BIDA program, various companies such as PAL have pledged to provide one million Mabuhay Miles; P500,000 testing kits from Blue Cross; Ask for Generika Medpadala cards vouchers; UERM Medical Center’s use of their drug-testing facilities; 2-million worth of product from San Miguel Corporation; and, scholarship grants for qualified out-of-school youth from Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Ay Foundation, Inc., and Cherry Mobile.
The DILG also announced an agreement with the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Premier Volleyball League (PVL), and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) to conduct random drug testing on their athletes and employees.