OF 50T SURRENDERERS, ONLY 3T GRADUATES

Provincial anti-drug body says only a small fraction finishes rehab programs

Out of 50, 200 drug surrenderers registered in Cebu Province last year, only 3,000 have graduated from community-based drug treatment programs initiated in the barangays, the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CPADAO) reported.

Carmen Remedios “Ivy” Durano-Meca, CPADAO head, admitted they can’t assure 100 percent that all those who surrendered to authorities will avail themselves of the CBTP offered by their Barangay An- ti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADACs).

Meca said that in terms of attendance, they can only get 75 percent of drug surrenderers per barangay to attend and graduate from the CBTPs.

Meca added that of the 54 local government units in Cebu Province, only 17 have ongoing CBTPs.

As of this year, 24 LGUs are still being briefed by the CPADAO and the Department of Health (DOH) on how they can organize their own CBTPs.

Having a CBTP is part of the requirement for a barangay before it can be declared drug-free.

Meca said that some LGUs don’t have CBTPs although the DOH wants to ensure that LGUs will be able to implement the Matrix Intensive Outpatient Program (MIOP).

Meca admitted that it takes time before an LGU’s CBTP can be accredited as they need to be organized in the barangay level.

But despite the fact that only a few surrenderers are in the CBTP, Meca said she was confident that LGUs will come up with more programs to attract more drug surrenderers to reform.

Meca added that aside from LGUs, faith-based groups are assisting barangays in organizing their CBTPs.