Rehab group seeks gov’t funding

Aprivate drug rehab organization in Olango Island in Lapu-Lapu City is seeking government support to expand its program to other barangays.

Rosario Jumao-as, president of Wayback Olango, wrote to President Rodrigo Duterte last month informing him about the activities that they have in dealing with the local drug addicts and surrenderers.

Wayback Olango is a treatment program for drug surrenderers introduced by retired Norwegian social worker Bjorn Norman.

“The first problem that we want to inform you about today is that we have been carrying all the expenses of our activities alone, while dealing with the local drug addicts and surrenderers. This is now becoming impossible to further expand on our own since our main funders are two retired foreigners who already do as much as they can, also financially,” Jumao-as said.

Last August, the Wayback Olango program was officially launched in Barangay Sabang. In 2016 when Duterte assumed office and launched a strong campaign against illegal drugs which resulted to the surrender of thousands of drug addicts nationwide, Wayback Olango started with the practical planning of a dedicated program for drug addicts in the island, in close cooperation with the officials of Barangay Sabang.

Within 30 months, Wayback Olango envisioned to already be able to offer all drug addicts on the island a personal treatment program.

Norman, however, said this can only be achieved with the support of the local government unit and the barangays made through formal written agreements.

Wayback Olango’s treatment is based on spiritual communication, constructive and practical contact, and work training.

In Sabang, while 10 drug surrenderers have relapsed and dropped out, Norman said they already have more than 20 clients who are active in their rehabilitation program who are showing progress.

Jumao-as said asking for more money from their private funders would simply be disrespectful and strategically inappropriate at this point.

“That is where, according to our thinking, the BADACs, barangay and city government councils come in. We are well aware that they have the needed budget available since there is about 20 percent, we assume, of their annual budget that needs to be allocated to “social development programs.” We are confident that the drug problem in general is also a “social development” problem that warrants at least a partial use of the 20 percent of said budget,” read Jumao-as’ letter.

She said they are only asking financial support from the local government units for the very basic needs of the registered organization as operating such a social project requires financial backing from all stakeholders including the barangay councils and the city government.

“As time goes by we now feel it is appropriate to include more barangays here on Olango and to include also the Lapu-Lapu city government in the processes of rehabilitating drug users and surrenderers. After all, this concerns a gigantic task that we can only fulfill by working together. All parties involved should easily be able to understand and recognize this,” Jumao-as said.

After a meeting with LapuLapu City Mayor Paz Radaza and officials of Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC), Norman claimed the program is getting support from the city government; however, no budget was discussed.

“There is no personal offense intended towards these officials, what we are trying to do with this communication is to give you a report from the field. A report we believe that can assist you in further assessing the quality and quantity offered by the BADACs of Olango and Lapu-Lapu,” Jumao-as said.

The stages of the program include profiling, individual program, general training and education, skills training, and follow-up.