Governor Aurelio Umali, along with Vice Governor Jose Gay Padiernos and board members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, led an estimated 5,000 Novo Ecijanos in an early Saturday morning five-kilometer run at the town plaza here for the run-for-a-cause activity dubbed “Takbo laban sa Droga” (Run against Drugs).
The fun run is the second such activity spearheaded by the provincial government and the third anti-illegal drug mass action following rallies held in the cities of Palayan and Cabanatuan last February.
In his message, Gov. Umali has urged local chief executives in the province to help fight illegal drugs, starting with subjecting themselves to a drug test.
The governor said he welcomed the call of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo for local officials to undergo drug tests if only to deliver the message that they are clean from illegal drug use and thus, have the moral ascendancy to lead the crusade against these illegal drugs.
“I am for local executives to have the drug test a long time ago and my position has not changed,” Umali said.
Likewise, Padiernos said local officials in the province should voluntarily submit themselves to drug tests if only to show to the public they are fit to join the crusade for good governance.
The provincial government is hell-bent on eradicating the drug menace and proof of this was the allocation of P3.5 million for the operation of the anti-drug task force, the vice governor said.
Courtesy of PNA and U.S. News Agency / Asian
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