THE Cagayan de Oro City Government is mulling to spend P2 million for the expansion of its lone city-run rehabilitation center, an official of the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) Office said Tuesday, August 30.
CSWD head Teddy Sabuga-a said before building another rehabilitation center, it will first expand and improve the Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (TRC) this year in Upper Puerto to immediately address the needs of drug users who will opt to check themselves in for rehabilitation.
Sabuga-a added a Memorandum of Agreement between City Mayor Oscar Moreno and Dr. Benson Go, chief of TRC, is underway to finalize the plan.
"Actually iplantsa nalang gyud ang tanan para maka-start na ug construct ug isa ka additional building para sa isa ka dormitory," he said.
"Not only nga ang construction ang atong giatiman but kamulo pud ta ug seminar sa mga drug responders especially since gi-open na sa simbahan ang iyang doors to these people who want to change their lives," he added.
The City Government is still in the process of identifying who among the drug responders will be sent to rehab centers, avail the outpatient program, or be part of a community-based rehabilitation.
"Siyempre dili man sad siguro tanan i-parehab nato kay ang uban niana basin pwede lang sa community," he said.
Erwin Rommel Lingad, nurse III and TRC health education designation officer, said the number of clients they cater now reaches 175 from 162 last month.
"Sa 175 ka clients, apil na niana ang mga ginatawag nato ug surenderees nga nagpa-seek na sila ug treatment as an outpatient or sa rehab facility gyud nato," he said.
With the rise of clients, Lingad said the facility badly needs additional infrastructure and manpower especially since the facility is only intended for 50 clients.
The facility needed to expand particularly its covered court, worship room, and additional rooms for the clients.
At present, TRC has three buildings, one for the clients' dormitory, and another for the kitchen, and the third for the employees' administration building.
Half of the admin building, however, is currently being used as an isolation room for clients who suffer from contagious diseases.