DAVAO City—Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has vowed to fully support the desire of drug personalities here to reform and live a life away from illegal drugs, a social menace her father President Rodrigo Duterte promised to eradicate within his six-year term.
Carpio made the statement through her chief of staff and Davao City legal officer Raul Nadela during the 13th anniversary of the Davao City Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents in Bago Oshiro.
“I assure you that the city government will always give priority to intervention programs and initiatives for the rehabilitation of the citizens who are using drugs,” the mayor said.
Carpio also told the 110 residents of the rehabilitation center not to waste their chance of overcoming dependence on drugs through the city’s program.
“Help us to help you,” she told them.
“We earnestly hope that you overcome this problem, live a life away from drugs, and reunite with your families who truly love and care for you.”
She also stressed the importance of family support for drug reformists, short of saying how many were thus listed in the city.
“We need your help so they do not relapse and their stay here would not be wasted,” she said.
“So that in time, they may return to our society not just proactive citizens, but also as individuals that are enthusiastic about life, pursuing their dreams and contributing to nation building and development,” she added.
As the center entered its 14th year, the city also opened its new two-story facility inside the compound which cost P6.6 million.
Perla Redulosa, assistant manager of the rehabilitation center, said the new facility, which sits on a 1.2-hectare compound 17 kms from the city center, will accommodate more reformists.
Officials said patients of the center are mostly shabu and marijuana addicts, although some would get high on elastomeric sealan or contact cement, with only a few there for injected drugs.
The center was established in 1985, three years before Rodrigo Duterte first became mayor and at the time run by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
But in 2001, the DSWD turned over the facility to the Davao City government, when Duterte was serving his 4th term as mayor and allocated P12 million of LGU funds to repairing the center, officials said.
There are other drug rehab centers in Davao City, but many poor families opt to have their loved ones admitted at the rehabilitation center because admission is free.
There are 40 drug rehab centers, government- and NGO-run, all accredited by the Department of Health.
