Thirty-three former drug users received last week certificates of completion from the community-based drug recovery program of the City Social Welfare and Development Office, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Liga ng mga Barangay, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Uplife, Health Services Office, Baguio City Police Office, and City Anti-Drug Abuse Council.
The former persons with substance use disorders (PSUD) went through a two-phase integrated participatory community building program focused on the psychological, physical, mental, social and spiritual aspect; and later, an after-care program providing a relapse prevention program, with auxiliary services needed for integration into the community.
With support from their families, the local government, other agencies, private entities and faith-based organizations, the group of 30 males and three female PSUDs are expected to become productive members of the community. The programs are facilitated by the different agencies and the spiritual group Uplife led by Rev. Rowena Orajay of the Jesus Reigns Ministries.
Fangasan said when President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016, one of his priority thrusts is to combat drug addiction. For that period, the BCPO reported 635 PSUDs and pushers surrendered to authorities. Partners in the government and non-government organizations later worked to help them recover.
Fangasan also recalled that in 2017, Serenity in the Steps group offered a treatment facility and community-based education, from the Colombo Plan drug advisory program. An initial step done is the profiling of first batch of surrenderees.
Life skill-strengthening was also a focus of the program, teaching the recovered user to refuse and abstain from drug use.
Eighty-seven of the PSUDs have completed the modular-based program.
Fangasan asked PSUDs who are willing to quit may get in touch with their office at upper Session Road. – Julie G. Fianza
April 25, 2024
