FORMER drug dependents undergoing the aftercare program of the Community-Based Rehabilitation Program (CBRP) have earned a P117,790 income during their first Monthly Tabo on March 12 to 17.
The Monthly Tabo, a week-long activity held every third week of the month, is a recently formed initiative of the City Social Welfare and Development's (CSWD) through its Oro Citizen's Wellness and Development Center (OCWDC) to help the recovering drug responders earn through livelihood.
"Because we wanted to innovate more the aftercare program to enhance the services that we are giving to our recovering drug responders. For the monthly tabo, gusto naming mag (we want to) innovate in a way that we are helping the responders earn," OCWDC head Rhyselle Descallar said.
Held in the mini park fronting the Cagayan de Oro City Hall, the monthly tabo is a venue for the responders to sell products available in their barangays such as dried goods, vegetables, fruits, and among others.
The materials used to put up their stalls, such as tables, chairs, stands, electricity, among others, are provided by the city, according to Descallar.
"We are eyeing to help the responders save. So yung kikitain nila (the income they earn) from the monthly tabo they will roll that. Some percentage will go to the bank, they will save that. And some percentage they will use that for the rolling of the products they will display again for the next month of the tabo," Descallar said.
She added that the CBRP and the barangay will be the ones who will decide how much percentage will be set aside for the savings and for the rolling of the products to be displayed.
Descallar also mentioned that they are planning to create an association for the aftercare program, wherein they will be able to "federate them in the future for the basic micro enterprise that we will give them."
Last March 12 to 17, the OCWDC launched the first Monthly Tabo, in which 27 barangays participated in the activity, namely: CBRP Camaman-an, CBRP Carmen, CBRP Barangay 25, CBRP Lapasan, CBRPs of Barangays 1 to 20, CBRP Gusa, CBRP San Simon, and CBRP Macasandig.
The next monthly tabo will be held on April 23 to 28.
According to Descallar, out of the 80 barangays in Cagayan de Oro, there are 34 community-based rehabilitation barangays with active CBRP.
"We are expecting more barangays to participate in the activity [next week]," Descallar said.
The OCWDC head also asked for the general public's support, encouraging them to visit the monthly tabo "because this will greatly help them in their livelihood program and will really help them with their aftercare and our goal in mainstreaming them back to the society."
"We are also sending a message that recovery is really possible that there is really a hope behind the darkness caused by drug addiction and its proven by our responders," Descallar said.