DAVAO CITY — The first batch of reformists in the city government’s six month-TARA NA program for drug dependents will finally graduate on September 30 and will be reintegrated into their community.
TARA NA or the Tabangan Atong Reformist Aron Naay Asenso (Help our reformist for development) is a Davao City Community-Based Rehabilitation Aftercare Program (CBRAP) to start revitalizing the lives of the drug surrenderers.
TARA NA was launched last November 18, 2016, with about P4.9 million allocated for the program.
Ronaldo Rivera of the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) said there are 30 drug reformists who will soon finish the six-month program.
While they are reintegrated into their respective communities, Rivera said they will still be monitored to ensure they are not lured back to drug addiction.
At a certain time, Rivera said the drug reformists will be assisted by the city government in terms of livelihood.
Among the graduates, Rivera said a 13-year-old drug reformist — the youngest while an 86-year-old is the oldest.
Connie Domog, head research of CADAC, said there are 10,702 drug surrenders registered by the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) from 122 barangays declared by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) affected by the illegal drugs.
Domog said the 122 affected barangays irepresent 67 percent of the 182 total barangays of Davao City.
Rivera said the total 10,702 drug surrenders were those who were subjected to Oplan Tokhang and Takhang.
The number does not include those in the rehabilitation centers and alleged drug users and pushers in high-end subdivisions.
The city also partnered with the University of the Immaculate Concepcion for another phase of the community-based program – the Kaduyog sa Kinabuhi program.
This involves the whole community and the academe.
The drug reformists are from Barangays 5A (8 reformists), Barangay-6A (15 reformists), and Barangay 8A (4 reformists).
Dr. Corazon Umlero, UIC Community Development Service, and NSTP Director, said that of the total number of reformists, 29 percent are females and 69 percent males. She said it is a holistic program which includes physiological approach, psychological, social and economic activities. It also includes spiritual reformation under the auspices of St. Jude Parish.
Earlier, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio announced that drug screening/profiling was conducted in 33 barangays of District 3 from April to June 2017.
As a result, 917 reformists were recorded and enrolled to TARA NA-CBRAP.
The city has also established the New Drug Rehabilitation Center located in Malagos, Baguio District in partnership with Resorts World Manila and Davao City Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents (DCTRCDD).
The building is under construction and is targeted for completion on December 7, 2017. | PNA
