SAN Miguel Corp. on Tuesday tapped former drug dependents from Quezon City to help build work the Metro Rail Transit line 7 project in the next three years.
San Miguel president Ramon Ang approved the employment of rehabilitated drug users from the Quezon City Anti-Drug Abuse Advisory Council led by Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte.
At least 100 former drug users have completed the city government’s community-based rehabilitation program.
Meanwhile, Manila Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle expressed apprehension over the spate of killings in the country as he called on the faithful to resist the “culture of death” which, he said, continued to claim many innocent lives.
He said killing was increasingly being passively accepted by the people because of the almost daily reports of deaths due to the war on drugs.
“The spate of killings in the country today should shock and sadden all of us. Let us not allow a culture, where killing is normal, to spread because we might get used to it,” Tagle said.
In another development, President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Maria Belen Angelia Matibag to head the Dangerous Drugs Board to replace outgoing Chairman Benjamin Reyes.
Belmonte and SMC representatives will sign a memorandum of agreement on the hiring of former drug dependents to work on MRT line 7 on April 25.
“Aside from San Miguel, there are other private companies that have signified the interest to enter into a memorandum with the city government,” Belmonte said.
“We know for a fact that there are those who are suitable for clerical work or for call center jobs.
This way, we can help them find jobs. It does not actually mean that if you have used illegal drugs, you are a bad person.”
The MRT line 7 project will traverse Quezon Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue all the way to Bulacan’s San Jose del Monte. It is expected to be completed in three years.
Data from the Philippine National Police showed there are 16,000 drug surrenderers in Quezon City under its Oplan Double Barrel.
Around 10,000 are registered in the integrated drug-profiling system.
The city government’s rehabilitation program is composed of 12 mandatory clinical counseling sessions that run for three months.
After the three-month period, the drug surrenderers will undergo drug testing and psychological evaluation.
Those who need further treatment will be sent to Tahanan, the city’s drug treatment and rehabilitation center, in Barangay Payatas. With Vito Barcelo