Fifthy-three former drug dependents have graduated on Friday from the six-month rehabilitation program of the first mega Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (DATRC) in Nueva Ecija.
The said rehabilitation center was inaugurated by President Rodrigo Duterte on November last year.
Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) commended the assisstance of Department of Health(DOH) in operations, maintanance and management in DATRCs.
“This shows that the government is doing a holistic campaign on anti-illegal drugs by giving real support in the recovery of surrenderers,” said DILG Assistant Secretary for Plans and Programs Epimaco Densing III.
Aside from 53 rehabilitated patients, Densing also pointed out that other 360 patients, who were severely affected by illegal drugs use, underwent rehab in DATRC.
Densing, however, clarified that mega DATRC only accomodates those who were severely affected with illegal drugs, while the moderately influenced users were treated in other rehabilitation centers suitably licensed by DOH.
“As chair of the Task Force, the DILG activated a Project Management Office (PMO) to synchronize the interagency efforts for the construction of DATRCs in the country,” said Densing.
The Assistant Secretary ensured that the newly formed DATRC PMO will help the Task Force in serving the agencies — with a medium-term goal of having one DATRC in each 18 regions in the country and a long-term goal of acquiring one in each of the 81 provinces.
“To make this into reality, the Task Force is coordinating and pooling the support of local government units and the private sector to urge them to donate land, infrastructure or equipment,” he said
“Though having DATRCs nationwide is being worked on, the ultimate objective is to make DATRCs irrelevant because it would mean that there are no more drug addicts and would further mean that we have won the war on illegal drugs,” he pointed out in a Task Force meeting.
Moreover, Densing also revealed that the DILG’s Information Systems and Technology Management Service (ISTMS) has developed an “Anti-Illegal Drugs Information System (AIDIS)” which will be used starting next year as an online application system that will facilitate the collection, storage, management and analysis of data and information related to illegal drugs nationwide.
On the other hand, Assistant Secretay Aurora Ignacio of the Office of the President honored DILG for creating the DOTRC PMO.
She urged the Task Force to synchronize its initiatives with the Interagency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) created under EO No. 15, series of 2017 and chaired by PDEA.
“Let’s also be in sync with the Rehabinasyon campaign launched by ICAD for a holistic approach on anti-illegal drugs,” she stated.
In connection to this, DBM Undersecretary Agnes Joyce Bailen also gave her sentiments, saying, “It’s only now in the administration of Duterte that the magnitude of the drug problem has come to fore and we are called to serve for the future of this country.” | Renzie Nombre (OJT) – PTV
