MUNTINLUPA GOV’T ALLOTS P10-M SUBSIDY FOR POOR DRUGGIES’ REHAB

The local government of Muntinlupa has allocated P10 million to subsidize the rehabilitation of drug users and pushers in treatment centers run by the Department of Health (DOH).

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi on Wednesday signed a memorandum of agreement with Marvin Diokno and Jocelyn Belencion, representatives of the DOH Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers (DOH-TRCs) in Taguig City to accept indigent drug dependents in two facilities.

Florocito Ragudo, the chief of the Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Office (Dapco), said the P10-million subsidy would benefit the poor drug dependents who needed to undergo rehabilitation program.

Ragudo said that out of the 52 drug surrenderers recommended to be treated in DOHTRCs, 33 patients, or 66 percent, did not push through “due to financial challenges.”

“The families of the dependents said the greatest factor of their deferment is the cost of rehabilitation,” he said.

Treatment in DOH-TRCs costs around P15,000 for a seven-month rehab program.

Dapco information officer Josephine Suitado said families of indigent drug dependents who wish to avail themselves of the government subsidy should coordinate with their respective barangay anti-abuse drug councils (Badac).

Suitado said they were targeting 55 poor dependents recommended for medical-based treatment to be the first beneficiaries of the government subsidy.

The 55 individuals were identified out of the more than 700 members of Mapalad, the local government’s program for drug users and pushers who had surrendered to the police under “Oplan Tokhang.”