Belmonte welcomes Church support for drug rehab

Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte has expressed gratitude to the Catholic Church for its support for the city government’s drug rehabilitation program.

Belmonte, who heads the city antidrug advisory council, recently welcomed 75 people trained by the Diocese of Cubao to provide spiritual counselling to drug dependents.

“I would like to thank the Church for being active in the campaign against illegal drugs and for being active in our advocacy to give second chances to those who may have lost their way but would like to go back to the path of righteousness,” she said.

“Without this spiritual component, our drug rehabilitation program would never succeed, ” she added.

Belmonte attended the graduation of the counselors, who took the Pastoral Approach to Rehabilitation and Formation program of the Diocese of Cubao.

Among the trainers were nuns, pastors and lay ministers who were also trained by medical professionals with knowledge in community-based drug rehabilitation.

The vice mayor said the counselors would be partners of the city government in implementing the drug rehabilitation program.

Over 1,200 drug surrenderees have graduated from the community-based drug rehabilitation and treatment program of the local government, according to Belmonte.

Quezon City has its own drug treatment center called Tahanan, a 300-bed facility accredited by the Department of Health to provide support to drug dependents.