ILOILO CITY — “Rehabinasyon,” the advocacy arm of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-illegal Drugs (ICAD), will go full swing this year starting off in Iloilo City.
ICAD was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 15 signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte that aims to “harmonize, streamline, and make programs on anti-illegal drugs of the government more efficient and more pointed towards the people,” said Assistant Secretary Ramon L. Cualoping III of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO).
He added that the planning for the conduct of the advocacy campaign started in 2017 and this year “it will go full blast”.
Friday’s roadshow and town hall meeting gathered representatives from various sectors for them to know of the anti-drug programs of various national government agencies that are part of the ICAD.
Secretary Catalino S. Cuy of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) in the open forum said that they are embracing the “whole of the nation approach” to address the problem on illegal drugs.
He emphasized that the “appreciation” that there is a problem is already a big help.
In a press conference that followed the morning roadshow, Cuy said the focus of their demand reduction component is the grassroots level because users of common drugs such as the methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu are from low income group.
“What we are doing now is part of public awareness,” he said.
Assistant Secretary Jose Antonio R. Hernandez of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the first time introduce the “Yakap Bayan” that will “weave all services and programs” as their contribution to the rehabilitation and reintegration of drug surrenderers.
He said the program was first piloted in northern Luzon and Region 11 (Davao Region).
Hernandez will return to Iloilo within the month to introduce the same program.
Assistant Secretary Roger P. Tong-an of the Department of Health (DOH) said that their mechanism for the rehabilitation of drug surrenderers is already in place.
He said that they are now piloting their halfway-house and community-based rehabilitation projects.
Tong-an said they have trained barangay health workers, nurses, psychologists and physicians to administer screening for drug surrenderers.
Those with mild and moderate addiction will be referred for community-based rehabilitation while severe cases will be referred to mental rehabilitation centers.
He said that data from the World Health Organization (WHO) showed that 95 percent of the admission of drug surrenderers is community-based.
Cuy said “rehabilitation is voluntary”. He said that it is “better for drug dependents to participate for them to be able to recover from addiction and be reintegrated into the community”.
Meantime, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) recorded more than 1.3 million drug surrenderers from July 2016 until November 2017.
PDEA director Derrick Arnold C. Carreon said that 24, 424 or 58 percent of the 42, 038 barangays in the country are drug-affected with the National Capital Region, Central Visayas and Central Luzon as the most affected.
Cualoping said that that “it would also be prudent and very efficient and very engaging for the national government to come here in Western Visayas and engage with our partners”.
Niño B. Maldecir, a senior high school student of the John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University –Arevalo campus said he was enlightened after listening to the presentations of various government agencies.
“I learned so far about the efforts of the national government. It has changed my perspective, especially the way I look at the ‘Tokhang’ advocacy of the government. Actually the government is making efforts to rehabilitate our drug dependents and turn societal cancers into community leaders,” he said.
PCOO Undersecretary Lorraine Marie T. Badoy, and PDEA Director Maharani Gadaoni-Tosoc also joined Friday’s adovacy event. (PNA)
Photos by Perla Lena
Order No. 15 signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte that aims to “harmonize, streamline, and make programs on anti-illegal drugs of the government more efficient and more pointed towards the people,” said Assistant Secretary Ramon L. Cualoping III of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO).
