THE Davao City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Cadac) is all set to provide extensive support for the rehabilitation of suspected drug pushers and users who earlier surrendered to authorities in the city.
The Cadac co-chair Michael Denton Aportadera issued such statement before the City Council on Tuesday, November 9. He was invited by the committee on health chair Councilor Mary Joselle Dilig-Villafuerte for updates.
Aportadera said with over 9,000 drug dependents who surrendered to authorities, the City Council has thought of programs for them to start a new life wherein the city could be a benchmark of the nation.
He said the City Council already revitalized the 182 barangays for the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Badac). He added that they are set to orient the barangays for the implementation of the Aftercare Program.
"It is not just enough that we present livelihood programs. We have to specifically and individually address the mental capacity of each drug reformists for us to know what is needed for them," Aportadera said.
Cadac has conducted several meetings with various service providers, government agencies and organizations, adding that Cadac also started its needs assessment for reformists.
Aportadera also said that the Department of Health's aftercare program has coordinated with the Liga ng mga Barangay and selected first 20 barangays with highest number of reformists.
"We have crafted a monitoring tool para sa ating mga volunteer organizations who intend to be part of the program. The academe and universities here also committed to help on voluntary basis," he said.
Aportadera said various schools and universities earlier expressed interest to help Cadac address the psychosocial needs assessment of every drug reformees without any monetary payment.
"This is a holistic approach. We prepared the community and we will be including the barangays' function to monitor each drug reformist in their respective areas of responsibility," Aportadera said.
Cadac is also coordinating with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Davao City Police Office and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, among other government agencies.
"We have also tapped the religious sector. We were able to come up with religious, medical, psychological, and livelihood to be part of the program. We are also coming up with a data system of reformists," he said.
Aportadera said the council also created a campaign dubbed as "Tara Na (Tabangan Atong Reformees Aron Naa'y Asenso)," a self-help support group.
He added the Tara Na will be launched at DCPO Camp Captain Domingo E. Leonor in Barangay 38-D in Davao City on November 18, Friday, to be attended by drug reformists and partners (local government agencies, non-government organizations, and other groups).
Aportadera said the program for drug reformists will start with a six-month intensive treatment then another 18-month treatment until the technical working group will determine whether they are ready to be reintegrated to the society.