THE newly turned-over P19.9 million worth of drug rehabilitation center will be of great help to the increasing number of drug dependents admitted to the facility in Upper Puerto, after the Supreme Court allowed the plea bargaining framework of the drug cases.
Dr. Benson Go, chief of the Department of Health-treatment and rehabilitation center (TRC), said the facility has come a long way, as it only had 1 building when it started.
"Through the support of the mayor, we are opening a new dorm. This is a big help this will house clients who need to be here," Go said.
"With the onset of plea bargaining agreement, many are seeking for our help, most of them comes from the jail. Now we will be able to accommodate them helping towards recovery," Go said.
The new facility is a 100-bed capacity, making the total bed capacity of the whole facility now at 200. It will be managed by the Department of Health (DOH)-Northern Mindanao.
Currently, the rehab center caters to more than 120 patients and are all under a 6-month program.
DOH-Northern Mindanao Regional Director Nimfa Torrizo lauded the City Government for another breakthrough in the healthcare condition of Cagayan de Oro.
"With the political will of its key leaders, Cagayan de Oro is blessed, it is blessed to have a leader like mayor Moreno, many leaders do not have the iron fist for our health development," Torrizo said.
"We thank the city for giving the Health sector a chance to grow, and for not denying the city to have the health program it deserves," she said.
Mayor Oscar Moreno for his part said the new facility is the city's response to the government's anti-illegal drugs campaign.
Moreno also thanked the Rosales family for donating the 10-hectare property to the government for health projects.