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Saturday, October 23, 2004
Libre: Battling the drug menace
By Mel Libre
Seriously Now
There is no more denying that the use of illegal drugs has become a real threat to Philippine society. All the time, we thought that illegal drugs are just a passing fancy among our youths and which matured individuals do not indulge in. But think again. There’s the admission of one local government unit that majority of male teachers in its jurisdiction are drug users.
The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) acknowledged the existence of this problem in the workplace with Department Order No. 53-03, which is in compliance with Art. V of R.A. 9165, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.”
Dropping by Dole to represent a client in a case last week, I sat down to listen for a while to a seminar conducted by one Dole personnel who discussed the creation of a drug free workplace. The concept of the program is to allow employers to identify employees who use drugs and allow them to undergo rehabilitation. Once the employee is cleared by the rehab center, he/she can then return to his job with no diminution in rank, salary and benefits.
Two weeks earlier, I invited to my radio program, “Libre Comida” over dyAR-Angel Radyo three people presently undergoing rehabilitation at the House of Hope in Mactan. They were accompanied by their program director, who was once a drug dependent.
I told them I would not mention their names, but they all told me they didn’t mind if their names were mentioned and that they wanted to tell their stories so that others may not follow the path they took.
Their stories were similar. They belonged to good families, were well provided and even had decent jobs. But in their younger days, they started using marijuana because of peer pressure. Later, they shifted to other kinds of drugs that brought them a “high.” They finally graduated to shabu use.
Shabu made them more alert, more active and more productive. Before they knew it, they could not live without using it. They resorted to lying and stealing just to get regular supply of the drug. They admitted that they became alienated from their families and friends. They became anti-social and the only persons they associated with were the pushers.
Many of them had been patients in other rehabilitation centers, but they found the treatments there not enough to rid them of their desire for shabu.
The House of Hope took them in – now they are drug-free since their enrollment. The programs there made them realize there is a better “high” than drugs. They do sports activities, livelihood work, community outreach and –the most important for the center--spiritual renewal.
If we are afraid of terrorists, Aids and the fiscal crisis, the more that we should be afraid of the drug menace. It’s time we end this talk about a drug war; let’s actualize this by battling the use of drugs in our homes, in our communities and in our nation.
(October 23, 2004 issue)
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