MANILA — The Quezon City government showed its support to President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s anti-drug campaign as it hosted the “Rehabinasyon” Town Hall Meeting at the city’s Experience Museum on Monday.
In his speech, Councilor Onyx Crisologo said the city is one of the many cities that support Rehabinasyon — a holistic approach which focuses on the rehabilitation of drug surrenderers while eliminating the country’s illegal drugs problem.
“Mayor Herbert Bautista is actually there in the launching of Rehabinasyon last year, July, very supportive po ang ating mayor sa lahat ng programa kaya naka-budget sa Quezon City and he makes sure na ang 142 barangays nakapondo ang kanilang BADAC para tumulong sa ating lungsod Quezon (Mayor Herbert Bautista is actually there in the launching of Rehabinasyon last year, July, our mayor is very supportive of all the programs that’s why it is budgeted in Quezon City and he makes sure that the 142 villages have their BADAC funded to help in the city of Quezon),” Crisologo said.
BADAC, or the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council, plays a vital role in addressing the drug menace in the grassroots level.
Crisologo agreed with the campaign of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that drug surrenderers must be given a second chance.
“Sang-ayon po tayo sa DSWD na ang ating surrenderers o namomorblema po sa droga eh mabigyan ng second chance kaya sa Yakap Bayan na programa natin napakaganda po yan (We agree with DSWD that our surrenderers or those with drug problems be given a second chance, that’s why our Yakap Bayan program is great),” the councilor said.
Crisologo added that QC’s District 1 received funds from DSWD for its “Tulong sa Panghanapbuhay para sa Disadvantaged” (TUPAD) workers.
“So ginagawa ho natin yung ating mga TUPAD, yung ating mga surrenderers binibigyan po natin sa ating barangay ng pagkakataon. I’m sure ginagawa ito sa anim na distrito ng lungsod Quezon at tuluy-tuloy ang mga programa dito (So we’re doing our TUPAD, our surrenderers are given second chance in our villages. I’m sure this is done in all six districts of Quezon City and these programs continue),” he added.
Among resource persons at the event, which was facilitated by the Presidential Communications and Operations Office, were Dangerous Drugs Board Undersecretary Marlowe Pedregosa, Health Undersecretary Roger Tong An, Department of Interior and Local Government Assistant Secretary Ricojudge Echiverri, Office of the President Assistant Secretary Aurora Ignacio, and Drug Enforcement Director Derrick Carreon.
Other attendees were barangay officials, social workers, policemen and residents who were given the chance to ask the guest officials about their anti-drug campaign concerns during an open forum.
Rehabinasyon is an all-encompassing campaign based on five pillars — supply reduction, demand reduction, alternative development, civic awareness and response, and regional and international cooperation.
Focusing on enforcement, justice, advocacy, and rehabilitation and reintegration, it is implemented by the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs composed of 41 government agencies and four clusters.
It also enhances the use of real numbers, solutions, and stories which are key to effective alleviation of the drug problem nationwide.
Quezon City is the fifth local government unit to provide a venue for Rehabinasyon campaign after its launch last year in Bacolod City. (PNA)
