Lawyer Marie dela Cerna-Teves (front left) and Mandaue City Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna (right) cut the ribbon during the inauguration and blessing of the Bridge of Hope (BH) Drug Rehabilitation Center that used to be the home of former governor Vicente dela Cerna (CDN PHOTO/NORMAN MENDOZA).
The house of former Cebu governor and acting Mandaue City mayor Vicente “Tingting” dela Serna in Barangay Ibabao-Estancia in Mandaue City had been converted into a private rehabilitation facility for drug users.
The Bridge of Hope (BH) Drug Rehabilitation Center located at G. Ouano Street was inaugurated last Saturday.
It can accommodate a maximum of 90 patients and has its own medical staff and personnel securing the facility 24/7.
The center is fully furnished and has air-conditioned rooms. Each resident pays P25,000 monthly.
Lawyer Marie dela Serna-Teves, the daugher of the former govrnor, and her husband Chemian Teves partnered with the Bridge of Hope (BH) Drug Rehabilitation Center, which has branches in Luzon and Bacolod and will soon open another in Mindanao.
“The house has not been used as we each have our own families and our father is no longer living there also. Thus, we just used it for business, and we also can help fill up the demand for a drug rehab facility,” Teves said.
Raymund Basto, executive director of the Bridge of Hope (BH) Cebu branch said the residents can stay for a minimum of eight months to a year depending on their assessment.
Patients can take some field trips; but most of the rehabilitation involves meetings, therapy sessions, counseling and possible assessment for jobs or whatever they need.
The patients are not allowed communication with family, relatives and friends until after six to eight months.
Mandaue City Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna, who attended the inauguration, said the center can help in the government’s antidrug campaign.
“We have lots of surrenderers, and the government has been unable to house them all so we are thankful for these services,” he said.