Candelaria Mayor George Suayan (2nd from left) and VM Macario Boongaling led the voluntary drug test with more than 700 government workers. Also in the photo are Quezon police director Col. Ledon Monte (right) and RID chief Lt. Col. Melvin Montante of the Calabarzon police office. Photo by GEMI FORMARAN
Quezon mayor, 755 gov’t workers take voluntary drug test
CANDELARIA, Quezon – Local officials of this progressive town led by the local chief executives of Candelaria have subjected themselves to a voluntary drug test on Monday, April 10, 2023.
Headed by Mayor George Suayan and Vice Mayor Macario Boongaling, the massive voluntary drug testing was also joined by four town councilors, 23 barangay chairpersons, 176 barangay council members, 348 tanods, 68 Sangguniang Kabataan, eight traffic enforcers, and 127 barangay secretaries and treasurers.
Quezon police director Col. Ledon Monte, who facilitated the activity, together with Regional Intelligence Division (RID) chief Lt. Col. Melvin Montante, and Candelaria police chief Lt. Col. Dennis de Leon, said that the initiative of the local executives and workers is to support “Buhay Ingatan, Droga ay Ayawan” or BIDA Program.
The voluntary drug test the Candelaria local government participated in was also a “positive response” to the appeal of Calabarzon (Cavite/Laguna/Batangas/Rizal/Quezon) police director Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. – showing commitment to addressing the problem of illegal drugs in respective localities.
