THE Municipal Government of Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte has allocated an initial amount of P1 million to provide livelihood program for the drug surrenderees in that town.
Sirawai Municipal Mayor Gamar Janihim made the announcement on Thursday, September 1, when he administered the oath of undertaking of the 312 drug personalities who surrendered to the authorities.
Janihim said the funding allocation will be used to provide the needed seed capital to qualified drug surrenderees to start a small business to earn a living.
Janihim said they will partner with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) to provide the needed training and would find job that fits their qualification.
The mayor, however, said they have to comply with certain requirements to be able to avail of the livelihood assistance.
The requirements are the following: investigation, drug test, regular home visitation, livelihood training, community work, regular reporting with the Barangay Anti-Drug Council (Badac) or Police Headquarters, submit medical/neuro psychiatric examination, and submit to rehabilitation upon recommendation (for users only).
“Basta sinsero kayo doon sa sinumpaan niyong salaysay, basta sinsero kayo na magbagong buhay, tutulungan namin kayo,” Janihim told the drug personalities, who surrendered.
The government authorities referred drug personalities to either drug pushers or users.
Janihim said the surrenderees came from the 34 villages of Sirawai town.
The police have taken their biometrics and other data for record purposes before the oath taking where they promised to stop to use or sell illegal drugs.
Top police and other government officials witnessed the surrender and oath taking ceremony of the drug personalities.
They also signed a covenant to make Sirawai a drug free and crime free municipality.
Aside from Janihim, the signatories included Chief Superintendent Billy Beltran, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula director, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Regional Director Joseph Ladip, Senior Superintendent Edwin Wagan, Zamboanga del Norte police director and the mayors of the nearby towns of Sibuco, Siocon and Baliguian as well as the leaders of the locally-based Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front.