LOCAL government units, government agencies and other concerned groups are getting involved in helping drug personalities who have turned themselves in to reform and become better citizens.
In the municipality of Danglas, Abra for instance, the local government put up community based outpatient rehabilitation program for surrenderees. This involves lectures, spiritual nourishment, economic and livelihood seminars, sports, and a meet and greet with the local officials.
In Baguio, a community-based rehabilitation program under the Serenity In-the-Steps Rehabilitation Group was tapped to help dependents who were not referred to rehabilitation centers. It consists of 90 meetings with the following topics; psycho-education, feelings processing communication skills, skills training, and multi-family therapy and counseling.
In Ifugao, the provincial government and the Provincial Police Office initiated the creation of a reflection camp for surrenderees. The camp offers services like capability building, medical assistance including drug test, counseling/psychosocial intervention, referral, temporary confinement.
In Benguet province, a clean-up drive, repair and improvement, spiritual formations, tree planting and livelihood training given by Technical Education and Skills Development Authority such as welding are being done as part of the rehabilitation program.
Police S/Supt. Angelito Casimiro, Deputy Regional Director for Operations of the Police Regional Office – Cordillera (PROC-COR) reported during the last Peace and Order Council meeting that a total of 9,289 drug personalities were accounted for the period July 1 to October 25, 2016.
The police visited 8,821 drug personalities region wide in their “Oplan Tokhang” operations.
With the big number of drug surrenderees, more LGUs and other stakeholders are coming up with programs for their rehabilitation.
To enhance the capability of the police, they have engaged the Department of Health and other non-government agencies for further training. (Joseph Zambrano/PIA-CAR)