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Friday, October 10, 2003
Espinoza: Free drug rehab center
By Fred C. Espinoza
ENDORSE. I hope that Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem, chairman of the committee on dangerous drugs, was able to secure an endorsement from Malacañang regarding the plan of the City Government to put up a free rehabilitation center in a mountain barangay, to help solve the drug problem in Cebu City.
If this plan can be realized, our city would be in an enviable position, just like Marikina City. The latest report said that after sending hundreds of drug pushers and drug users to jail, Marikina City has taken its campaign against illegal drugs to the next level: rehabilitating drug dependents.
To get the campaign in high gear, the police chief has assumed the task of encouraging relatives, friends and neighbors of people hooked to illegal drugs to submit them for rehabilitation before it is too late, the report said.
And because of the initial success of the operations, only the so-called “street level” pushers now operate clandestinely in the city. It goes to show that local government units are also competent to meet the challenge, when properly motivated.
Marikina police authorities cited a recent study made by the United States Drug Enforcement Agency which showed that rehabilitation will have better long-term effects and cost effectiveness.
This vision is being shared by the founders of the House of Hope, a charitable Christian ministry which provides a one-year residential program for voluntary drug addicts from all over the country.
OWNED BY MAYOR. The drug dependents in Markina City are being housed at the Marikina holding center owned and operated by Mayor Maria Lourdes Fernando.
It was emphasized, however, that the facility is only for Marikina residents. “No payment is required, but the drug dependents will have to pay for the drug tests and medical examinations,” the report said.
Meanwhile, we would like to commend Councilor Jakosalem and his counterparts in the government service for making this year’s “Walk for a Cause,” an anti-drug campaign and fund raising project of the House of Hope, a success.
The march has been set for 2 p.m. from the Fuente Osmeña Park to the Cebu City sports complex at the Abellana grounds.
The organizers cited the strong endorsements from Councilor Jakosalem, Department of Education Regional Director for Central Visayas Carolina Mordeno, and Leonardo Tanael, regional director of the Commission on Higher Education or Ched in Region 7.
With the onset of the summer months, we trust the participants from the Christian churches and various government and private educational institutions will be around to offer this year’s Walk for a Cause as their personal offering to God.
What we call adversity, God calls opportunity.
Come to think of it, how many times have we been surprised to know that when we have nothing left but God, we’ll find that God is enough, as the saying goes.
(October 10, 2003 issue)
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