FOCUSING on "character modification and mental reformatting," an internationally known Ilocano healing guru and spiritual master is helping drug surrenderers in Bauko, Mountain Province veer away from drug addiction.
Master Del Pe provides free sessions to the drug surrenderers for a period of two months, training them on anger management, martial arts, and removal of toxicity through mental meditation to reformat their minds.
“To deviate from drug addiction, they have to change how they think and they have to have character modification,” he said Monday.
Del Pe designed the international program called CleanLIFE, which is implemented by his non-profit organization, MDP Foundation, to help heal people with vices and addictions, so that they can stay out of trouble and have healthier and productive lives.
“The focus of the training and mentoring is geared towards the path of longevity, enlightenment and healing,” he said.
The system is done by teaching them forms of exercise to remove their anger, addiction or other vices.
Surrenderers are also given martial arts training, meditation and yoga, which involve breathing to oxygenate a lot of their blood to purify the organ, thereby removing the toxicity from their blood stream after using drugs or alcohol.
Mental meditation is also part of the program to reformat their thinking, which Del Pe said is called "character modification strategies."
“Without changing their character and behavior, they would go back and relapse after a few months. Meditation and martial arts increases their will power. They cannot stand their addiction because their will power is low. We need to elevate will power and vitality so that they will have a higher will power and they are assured that there is no relapse.”
With his system, the initial 55 who graduated posted a "100 percent clean blood, free from any form of illegal drugs."
“They thought it was not possible but when they saw the result of the blood test and how the clients were, they were shocked at the result. They said drug rehabilitation will need a minimum of six months, we did it in 45 days, and the surrenderers are back to their normal selves and at work," he said.
In collaboration with Bauko Mayor Abraham Akilit, the CleanLIFE program aims to help rehabilitate the 168 drug users and pushers who have surrendered to the Philippine National Police in response to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s war on drugs.
Buguias town in Benguet, which is adjacent to Bauko, Mountain Province, is also seeking Del Pe's assistance to help the 560 drug surrenderers in their town.
He is also talking to the city government here for the training of personnel on self-healing techniques for the rehabilitation of Baguio City’s drug surrenderers.
Del Pe operates a retreat center in Ilocos Sur, wich serves foreign clients, mostly Americans and Europeans.
Yoga and meditation heals different conditions, the master said, adding that it allows a person to connect with his inner self. (PNA)