THE Cagayan de Oro City Government is eyeing to provide free admission at the rehabilitation center for individuals involved with illegal drugs who will submit themselves to authorities otherwise known as the "Tokhang responders."
City Councilor Romeo Calizo, chairman of the City's Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) said he learned that before drug dependents get the services of a rehab center, they need to spend money to undergo a Drug Dependency Evaluation which includes out-patient fee, drug testing charge, and in-patient admission.
Calizo however noted that most of the drug responders are poor and cannot afford to pay to avail these services.
"We want to achieve quality services for the people so why not make these processes free of charges and help those who really need to get into rehab?" Calizo said.
Calizo said CADAC is studying how this would work, and looks forward to a strengthened partnership with the Department of Health (DOH) for this matter.
The DOH has recently acquired a new male dormitory for the drug dependents at the Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Maitum, Upper Puerto.
Dr. Benson Go, chief of the Department of Health-treatment and rehabilitation center, admitted that the number of admissions has significantly increased after the Supreme Court allowed the plea bargaining framework of the drug cases.