For Argao and Cebu City facilities: P229 million for rehab

CEBU, Philippines — The national government is spending another P2.1 billion next year to support the operations and expand the facilities of 23 residential drug treatment and rehabilitation (TRCs) centers managed by the Department of Health (DOH).

Of the said budget, P229.8 million is devoted to two public rehabilitation centers in Cebu.

Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr., in a statement, said that the P2.1 billion is 18 percent, or P322 million, higher than this year’s funding for public residential drug TRCs run by the DOH.

Campos, House appropriations committee vice chairperson, also said that of the P2.1 billion, Argao, Cebu Rehabilitation Center will get P127.6 million and Cebu City Rehabilitation Center will get P102.2 million.

“While we have to suppress the supply side of the drug problem by putting traffickers and pushers behind bars, we also have to rein in the demand side by providing adequate rehabilitation services to dependents,” said Campos, who made the statement ahead of the nation’s observance of Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week from November 13 to 19, 2022.

The third week of November of every year is dedicated to raising public awareness against the destructive effects of drug abuse on individuals, families, and society, pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 124 issued on Nov. 26, 2001.

Under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Law, a drug dependent may, by himself/herself or through his/her parent, spouse, guardian or relative within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, voluntarily apply for admission to a DOH-run TRC.

The law also provides that a person arrested, and who is found positive for illegal drug use, after a confirmatory test, faces the penalty of six months minimum rehabilitation in a DOH-run TRC.

In Cebu City, the Drug Abuse and Prevention Week kicked off yesterday with a parade from Fuente Osmeña to Cebu City Hall grounds with over 4,000 participants coming from 72 out of the 80 barangays of the city.

Jonah John Rodriguez, executive director of Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention, said he was thankful to the barangays in helping the city’s campaign against illegal drugs.

Rodriguez added that so far, of the 80 barangays, 13 have been declared as drug-cleared.

Other city officials who were present during the event were City Councilor Phillip Zafra, Dondon Hontiveros and Francis Espares.

Drug Busters

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Customs Port of Cebu hosted recently the Drug Busters Assembly 2022 with the theme “Upskilling Frontline Drug Busters for a Safer, Peaceful Cebu.”

The assembly gathered Cebu’s drug enforcement agencies in response to Governor Gwendolyn Garcia’s call for a “total, all-out war” against illegal drugs.

Port’s officers were joined by the heads and delegates from the regional offices of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, National Bureau of Investigation, and Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit.

In his opening remarks, BOC-Cebu OIC-Deputy Collector for Assessment Conrado Abarintos acknowledged the pressing societal problem on illegal drugs and stressed the government’s obligation for its total eradication.

“Times have changed, but the drug problem remains. We are here to learn and discuss if our current drug control policies are effective, identify those areas for improvement and sustainable ways to enforce these policies, and strengthen coordination with the drug enforcement agencies,” Abarintos said.

“In the Port of Cebu, we believe that “a little goes a long way”. In our call for a drug-free Province, we start within our agencies by upskilling our officers to be effective on their jobs. This event, which we hope to be conducted annually, is a step to implement concrete initiatives and accomplish the things we pledged to achieve in our fight against illegal drugs,” Abarintos added.

Delivering Garcia’s keynote, Cebu’s 6th District Board Member Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano emphasized that peace and order go hand in hand, and perfect peace and public order can only exist in a perfect world.

“As Cebuanos, we are proud to say that Cebu is considered and recognized as the Number One Province in the Philippines. However, it would be best to have another title such as ‘The Safest Province to Live in the Philippines,’ and we can only achieve this if all government units and stakeholders in Cebu unite in the campaign against drugs and other illegal activities for a safe and orderly environment,” Ouano said.

PDEA-7 Director Levi Ortiz closed the event with emphasis on the importance of enhanced coordination with the Port of Cebu.

He stressed that through the assembly, various security measures and techniques against drug smuggling, including intelligence gathering and profiling of local drug operations from PDEA’s end were best understood.

The recent activity was in line with the directive of Customs Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz to suppress the entry and spread of illegal drugs through technical and tactical upskilling of customs officers and enhanced inter-agency partnerships with anti-drug mandate. – JMD (FREEMAN)