THE Police Regional Office (PRO) in Davao Region is pushing for a general intervention and/or rehabilitation operation for low-risk drug surrenderers.
PRO-Davao director Chief Supt. Manuel Gaerlan said the operation will be called Philippine National Police’s Recovery and Wellness Program (RWP), an alternative community-based drug reformation activity for drug surrenderers here.
Gaerlan said the drug surrenderers categorized as low-risk shall be the beneficiaries of the RWP. He added that there should be a 90-day recovery and wellness program for users/pushers who surrendered during the Oplan Tokhang.
He added that this shall be done in three phases: intensive phase, half-way structure, and aftercare program, which will be held at the camp’s covered court, parade ground, chapels and any other available vacant buildings and areas.
"Drug surrenderers continue to roam around the streets and are vulnerable again to drug use. They need to undergo general intervention to prepare them for integration into the society," Gaerlan said on a presentation of this program.
Aside from the integration, he said, drug surrenderers should have a gainful livelihood, rebuild themselves to become more productive citizens of the country, and restore the values of the Filipino family.
Gaerlan said over 1 million drug personalities have already surrendered to government authorities, however, there are no enough government interventions instituted.
The Department of Health (DOH) has estimated 90 percent of drug users can be rehabilitated through a community-based rehabilitation program.
DOH focuses its efforts on the 10 percent whose drug addiction are classified as moderate to severe and who can be rehabilitated through Health-facility based out-patient or in-patient Treatment and Rehabilitation Program.