AN OFFICIAL from the Davao City Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents (DCTRCDD) said that they plan to establish the Davao City Center for Empowerment and Rehabilitation System, which aims to expand the monitoring of discharged patients.
Dr. Michelle Schlosser, officer-in-charge of DCTRCDD, said that Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte wanted the DCTRCDD to have an outpatient clinic since rehabilitation extends beyond the care provided inside the facility.
She explained that through the outpatient clinic, the center would be able to monitor the progress of patients after discharge.
“It’s not the end of the rehabilitation but then it’s the start of reintegration to the society,” she said during the ISpeak media forum, on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at the City Mayor’s Office.
Schlosser said that patients discharged from the facility would be monitored for 18 months to determine whether they have relapsed or returned to using illegal drugs.
She explained that one of the main reasons patients relapse is the lack of recovery capital or family support to help them reintegrate into the community. She encouraged the public to support recovering patients, noting that not everyone has a strong support system.
The clinic for the outpatient center has already been constructed, and the DCTRCDD is now working on the necessary documents for its operation in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH).
Schlosser also shared that they are planning to develop an app to help monitor discharged patients and are considering a partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for its creation.
“Mas ma-intensify pa nato atoang monitoring and mas mapa-improve pa nato ang health services na ginahatag nato sa mga patients (We can further intensify our monitoring and improve the health services that we provide to our patients),” she said.
She added that through the electronic application, monitoring discharged patients would be easier for the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Cadac-Davao), the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and the DOH, among others.
In an interview with the media at the event’s sidelines, Schlosser said they aim to launch the application within a year, with six months allocated for software development.
Additional budget for expansion
Schlosser said that the DCTRCDD has an annual budget of ₱27 million for its operations. She said the amount is sufficient to sustain the center’s current activities. However, if the city plans to expand its services to cater to outpatients, a larger budget will be needed to cover additional operational expenses and manpower.
“The proposal is additional ₱7 to ₱10 million for the operation but siguro ma-consistent na siya or utilize na siya I think it will lessen also, I think sa start pa lang mao na atoang ginapangayo (The proposal is an additional ₱7 to ₱10 million for the operation, but maybe once it becomes consistent or fully utilized, I think the amount will also lessen. I think that’s just the amount we’re requesting for the initial phase),” she said. She added that over time, the amount required by the center would decrease as the facility adapts to the changes.
Patients served
The center has a 110-bed capacity and currently accommodates 91 patients as of November 2025. Of that number, 84 are adults, and the remaining are minors. The youngest patient is 13 years old, while the oldest is 60.
Schlosser said that the number of discharged and admitted patients depends largely on their performance and progress. Poor performance or misbehavior often leads to a longer stay in the facility.
She also noted an increase in the number of individuals seeking rehabilitation, especially among those who opted for rehabilitation through plea bargaining instead of incarceration. The center also accepts walk-in clients who voluntarily wish to undergo rehabilitation. However, Schlosser emphasized that they strive not to exceed the facility’s capacity to ensure that all patients remain comfortable during their stay.
She added that admission to the center is free of charge for indigent patients who cannot afford to pay. Patients are categorized based on financial capacity: Category A (financially capable) – ₱10,000 per month; Category B (partially capable) – ₱5,000; Category C (near the poverty line) – ₱2,500; and Category D (indigent) – free of charge.
Schlosser said that the center offers holistic treatment, which includes spiritual, mental, and livelihood enhancement programs.
The office partners with various government agencies and non-government organizations (NGOs) to provide livelihood skills to patients so that when they are discharged, they can become productive members of society.
At present, the facility has around six social workers, four nurses, one nursing aide, one physician, and a visiting psychiatrist.
The center has been operational for 22 years. It was established when former President Rodrigo Duterte was still the mayor of Davao City and continues to provide services to those in need of rehabilitation. RGP