ZAMBOANGA CITY – Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar has announced her strong support to the government’s “Rehabinasyon” program.
Salazar issued the statement during the Rehabinasyion Roadshow on Monday afternoon as she challenged Zamboangueños, especially village officials, to aggressively pursue efforts to eradicate the drug menace in their respective barangays.
“Rehabinasyon” is the Philippine government’s all-encompassing campaign against illegal drugs — from enforcement, justice, rehabilitation and reintegration, and advocacy.
Salazar ordered barangay officials to mobilize their respective Barangay Drugs Abuse Council (BADAC), as the lead body in the anti-drug campaign in the grassroots level.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Assistant Secretary for External and Legislative Affairs Ricojudge Janver Echiverri said under the “Rehabinasyon” program, all barangay officials are mandated to submit to DILG a list of voluntary drug surrenderers and another list of rehabilitated drug surrenderers.
Salazar, who convened last week the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC), said the city government has allocated PHP5 million to intensify campaign against illegal drugs here.
She said funds will be used primarily for another round of massive drug testing for city government officials and employees, including barangay officials, police and military personnel.
She added that the move is the city government’s way of showing strong support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s relentless war against illegal drugs the country.
“Zamboanga City must (re)launch an anti-drug abuse campaign through drug testing. Money has been appropriated for this, unfortunately through the years it was not fully implemented. This time, I want the funds are spent wisely and effectively to eliminate the drug menace in our city,” she said.
The launching of “Rehabinasyon” showcased the five pillars of the Duterte administration: peace and order that includes the war on drugs, anti-graft and corruption, basic public services, independent foreign policy, and environmental protection.
For his part, Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Secretary Ramon Cualoping III told the Philippine News Agency that Rehabinasyon envisions to make the Philippines a drug-free country by 2022.
Cualoping explained that drug-free means there will be zero drug pushers and users “within his (President Duterte) term.”
He added that they are grateful to Salazar, who is “very supportive to the anti-drug campaign of the President.”
“Actually the mechanisms are in place already,” he said, citing Salazar’s support to the anti-drug campaign. (Teofilo Garcia, Jr/PNA)
