DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The Jesuit-ran Ateneo de Davao University will adopt 3,473 drug-reformists under its newly launched Committee Against Illegal Drugs.
During its launching on Thursday, Dec. 15, the CAID presented four programs that may help rescue and understand illegal drug dependents in the city as its contribution to the on-going massive “war on drugs” campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte.
One of the programs is about “Healing and Recovery for Drug Surrenderees”, or HERDS, to cater to 3,473 drug surrenderees from 25 barangays here who are willing to undergo a rehabilitation.
Dr. Nelba Manapol, designated personnel for HERDS said they will first conduct profiling of the drug reformists to identify if they are fit to the program.
“What we cater in HERDS are those who can be remedied with the help of the community participation,” she said.
Roawie Quimba, head of CAID added that for severe cases that requires intensive treatment they will refer it to other rehabilitation programs.
Manapol said they will constuct buildings in barangays and train ten volunteers to help in drug rehabilitation program.
Manapol said the programs will be free “since their activities will be from government’s community based programs such as livelihood trainings, spiritual enhancement and family religions.”
Aside from HERD, CAID will also have programs like drug hotline and referral helpline, human rights training for law enforcers and ADDU in-house community awareness training and “Mindanao drug trade: linking the local to the global.”
Apple Alvarez RN, head of the hotline and helpline program, said the services will be available from 8 a.m to 12 midnight every day.
Alvarez said the program will be fully-operational after two months since they will train first some six nurses to handle the hotline and helpline programs.
“They will cater to callers that wanted to quit drug addictions and drug reformists who under went rehabilitation since that is where the problem starts where after six months some drug reformists will relapse,” she said.
If a drug user feels an urge to go back on using drugs, Alvarez said he or she can call at the hotline for advice.
She said the helpline is for drug reformists or family of a drug dependent who wanted to inquire on where to find appropriate rehabilitation centers that will fit them or to their family member who is a drug dependent.
In human rights training for law enforcers, Atty. Arnold Abejaron said the program would conduct a “rights-based” operation on illegal drugs.
“The program is really strengthening the justice system together also with the community,” he said.
The CAID presented the “Mindanao drug trade: linking the local to the global,” a study on substance abuse and drug addiction.
Mayor Sara Duterte- Carpio sent her appreciation to the initiatives of CAID.
“I hope that you will encourage more faculty in ADDU and other schools and organization to join the committee, so that more Dabawenyos will be able to help the rehabilitation of drug-reformists in the city,” Aportadera read.
As of now, there are a total of 9,000 drug surrenderees and counting in the city.(davaotoday.com)
