ONLY 13 of the more than 800 graduates of the Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Program (CBDRP) in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu were given livelihood assistance on Thursday, August 11, 2022.
Garry Lao, head of the City of Lapu-Lapu Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (Closap), told SunStar Cebu that they are the first batch of drug surrenderers who completed the CBDRP and given a cash aid from the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) since Mayor Junard "Ahong" Chan assumed office as local chief executive in 2019.
He said 12 of the graduates are from Barangay Subabasbas, which is among those that were already declared as drug-cleared barangay by the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Program, while the other one is from Barangay Talima.
They were granted cash assistance amounting to P5,000 each for their Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), said Lao, adding it would depend on the recipients as to what business they would like to explore.
Lao said about 844 drug surrenderers have so far completed the CBDRP since 2019 up to present.
He emphasized, however, that those who have undergone the city's CBDRP could not directly receive the livelihood assistance once they graduate.
"Moagi una siya og mga rekisitos, mga pamaagi kon kinsay makadawat or assessment (It has to go through a process to assess who will receive the assistance)," he said.
This, he added, is aimed to determine whether the surrenderers could handle the assistance, or if they are appropriate enough to be given such.
He noted that after graduating from the six-month-long CBDRP, the drug surrenderers will still be monitored by the CSWDO twice a month.
Lao said there are 192 pending applicants or CBDRP graduates who are undergoing assessment for the SLP: Marigondon (34), Baring (62), Babag (12), Basak (67), and Buaya (17). (MKG)