Budget cut seen to ‘cripple’ drug rehab efforts

A possible budget cut for 2018 would likely cripple the government’s efforts to rehabilitate and renew drug dependents, said a high-ranking government official.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, in a press statement, said the proposed Department of Health (DOH) budget for next year’s operations of governmentrun drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation centers is expected to get a massive P2.3 billion cut under the 2018 national budget bill.

"If a drug addiction is a disease, is this budgetary prescription from our health officials the right one?” he said.

The DOH is lobbying for the approval of its P164.8 billion budget, which is nine percent higher from this year’s P151.3 billion.

Of the 164.8 billion budget, P759.6 million is intended for the rehabilitation facilities. The 2018 rehab budget is 75 percent lower compared to this year’s appropriation of P3.08 billion.

Quoting the health officials, Recto said private donations would make up for the reduction.

If that is the case, he said, DOH should submit a list of where the replacement funds would be sourced from “because that is too big a vacuum to fill.”

"The unofficial explanation is that the so-called ‘mega rehab centers’ will be built by private donors. Fine. But what about the manning of those centers? The training of personnel? Are the funds sought enough?” Recto said.

There are reportedly five regional drug treatment and rehabilitation centers that are being constructed in Isabela, Mountain Province, Palawan, Zamboanga and Taguig City, all funded by private

The reduced P759.6 million budget is earmarked for the operations of 14 drug abuse treatment centers, one of which is expected to be fully operational next year.

"Is that money enough for the DOH hospitals with drug rehabilitation programs? Will it be enough to support communitylevel abatement programs?” Recto said.

Recto said the lack of rehabilitation centers will cripple the “declared government policy to help the substance abusers turn over a new leaf.”

Recto said the existing government policy is to “save the users” and not “salvage the users.”

"For as long as that policy remains, then government is dutybound to help those who have volunteered for treatment by providing a new path to a better life for them,” he said.

Recto said government’s anti-drug drive hinges not on the mass killing of drug dependents but on their mass rehabilitation.

Recto said the DOH, in a briefing paper, assured that facilities included in the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP), which has a proposed 2018 budget of P29 billion, will form part of government network to help substance abusers.