The launching culminated with a commitment by surrenderers and support groups by leaving their hand prints on the commitment wall. (PHOTO FROM DILAAB FOUNDATION FACEBOOK PAGE)
A barangay-based recovery and reintegration program for drug users who have surrendered was launched on August 28 at the San Roque Parish Pastoral Center in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City.
Dubbed as “Labang” (Lahat Bangon), the program initiated by the Ugnayan ng Barangay at mga Simbahan (Ubas), a program of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) that brings together citizens and leaders at the grassroots level for good governance and effective delivery of services.
The expanded Ubas involves the Dilaab Foundation Inc., Barangay Subangdaku, Rotary Club-Fort San Pedro, Magone Home After Care program of Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) priests, Farm (Family and Recovery Management), Mandaue City Police Office and the Cebu Alliance for Change.
Subangdaku Barangay Captain Ernie Manatad said a total of 91 surrenderers out of the present list of 191 in the barangay attended the activity.
They were accompanied by the members of their families.
The event started with a 6 p.m. Mass concelebrated by Fr. Carmelo Diola, Dilaab Foundation chair and member of Ubas National Technical Working Group and Fr. Alvin Abatayo, SDB, assistant project director of Magone Home.
While packed meals were being served, Max Andrino known as “Daloydoy” over the air, cracked jokes to provide entertainment. This was followed by testimonies from recovering drug addicts and members of Narcotics Anonymous.
Fr. Abatayo outlined their six-month intervention program starting with an orientation which include the immediate assessment of the level of addiction, psycho-social and spiritual capability building, vocational capability building culminating and the reintegration phase.
“This is a journey from ‘Tokhang’ to ‘Labang’ which starts from a belief that we are powerless and we need God to change us, and we need other people’s help,” Diola said.
“The opposite of addiction is reconnection. This is the essence of the program,” he added.
According to Diola, there are three million drug addicts in the country, and more than 600,000 have surrendered. There are only 45 rehab centers with a maximum capacity of 5,000.
Diola said the community-based recovery and reintegration program can provide the answer.
Ramon Escaño, marketing officer of Farm, a rehabilita tion center, and a pioneer of local Narcotics Anonymous, a club of recovering addicts, said they will provide therapists and counselors to every individual, group and family, free of charge, as well as Cebuano translation of the “12 (recovery) steps” book that will be duplicated courtesy of Rotary Club-Fort San Pedro chapter.
According to Escaño, they have already organized the NA in Subangdaku which is complemented by Dilaab’s Bible-based sharing or “Lectio Divina.”
The three-hour activity culminated with a ceremonial commitment expression by surrenderers and support groups by leaving their hand prints on the commitment wall.
They then held their hands together in a circle and sang the song, “If We Hold on Together.”
“I am hopeful that one day with this program, I will be reunited with my family,” says a surrenderer.