STA. CRUZ, Laguna—The Laguna Provincial Police Office has launched the SIPAG (Simula ng Pag-Asa) Program, a faith-based initiative for surrendered drug dependents and their families, at Camp Gen. Paciano Rizal here.
Calabarzon police director Chief Supt. Ma. O Aplasca said having a spiritual component to the government’s war against drugs was important not only for the surrenderers but for the police as well.
“Pagbabago [renewal] is also part of our internal cleansing program in the Philippine National Police called ‘Bless our Cops.’ Like the SIPAG program, this is one of our [personal] transformation initiatives in all of the region. In everything, we also need the guidance of God,” Aplasca added in his message.
Aplasca noted that SIPAG in Laguna started through a small group of pastor-leaders from Cavite led by Pastor Lawrence Tugaoen, SIPAG project head, who made the rounds in the police stations in the province and spread it throughout the Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon region.
Laguna Provincial Director Senior Supt. Cecilio Ison likewise invited all religious groups in Laguna to partner with barangay officials and local police to launch SIPAG groups in their areas. He led the launch of a SIPAG group at the Laguna Sports Complex here.
SIPAG is a 12-week recovery program launched in cooperation with the Dangerous Drugs Board and in partnership with local churches, various business sectors, non-government organizations, the PNP and local government units across the nation.
It was first conceptualized last October when DDB tapped Christ’s Commission Fellowship to launch a faith-based recovery program to cater to the thousands of drug dependents who surrendered as part of President Duterte’s war against drugs.
SIPAG aims to address the emotional, physiological, and relational, as well as spiritual issues battling within the drug dependents and their family members.
SIPAG desires for the drug dependents to know that there is more to life than substance abuse.
“We aim to make a difference in the lives of the surrendered drug dependents and share with them the Hope, Joy, Love and Grace that comes only in Jesus Christ,” the group’s Facebook page notes.