China-funded drug rehab center to rise in Agusan del Sur
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur – A 1350 million China-funded drug rehabilitation center is set to rise in Caraga region.
The 4.5-hectare drug rehabilitation center will be constructed at Barangay Alegria, in this province’s progressive town of San Francisco.
The land that will be used for the construction of the said drug rehabilitation center was donated by the provincial government of Agusan del Sur.
When completed, it will have a 150bed capacity and would also include a recovery clinic, administration office and physicians quarter.
The Department of Health (DOH) will run the facility, along with the provincial health office of Agusan del Sur.
Officials of the Chinese Embassy, DOH and local officials held the groundbreaking on Monday here, despite of rains that struck the province due to tropical depression Basyang.
During the groundbreaking ceremony, officials from the Chinese government were spearheaded by Jin Yuan, executive and commercial counselor Embassy of the Republic of China, while the provincial government was represented by Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Edward Plaza Mellana.
“The construction of this drug rehabilitation center is in full support of President Duterte’s war against illicit drug,” Provincial Information Officer Armando R. Gomez said.
He added that 50 percent of the labor force in the construction of the drug rehabilitation center will come from the local community, based on the Memorandum of Understanding recently inked by the Chinese government and DOH.
This grant aid drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation project was facilitated through the China Aid, Ministry of Commerce The People’s Republic of China, Republic of the Philippines DOH and the province of Agusan del Sur, according to Gomez.
Ground works are projected to be completed in 21 months.
He added that this drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation project is a residential facility for those who are assessed with severe substance use disorder. (Mike U. Crismundo)