Balik Eskwela Program: Drug surrenderees receive school supplies from Cosap

A 52-year-old drug surrenderee, who refuses to be named, said he enrolled himself in the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (Cosap) rehabilitation program to change his life. CDN Digital | Delta Dyrecka Letigio

CEBU CITY, Philippines—At least 225 drug surrenderees and beneficiaries of the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (Cosap) Balik Eskwela ProgramBalik Eskwela Program, received school supplies such as notebooks, pens, and backpacks on Valentines Day, February 14, 2019.

Cosap head Garry Lao said that the activity was a form of support to the drug surrenderees from 18 different barangays in the city.

“We want to show support to the clients (drug surrenderees) and their families. Pangandam sa pagbalik sa eskwela aron dili na sila mopalit pag mga notebook or papel,” said Lao.

Garry Lao, head of the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (Cosap), discusses the importance of education in the rehabilitation of drug dependents. | Photo by Delta Dyrecka Letigio

In the past year, the Cosap provided a sack of rice and a pack of groceries to every surrenderee and their family.

This year, Lao said that the packages will serve to encourage the surrenderees to continue with the program and avoid regressing back to substance abuse.

Lao said he is proud of the graduates of the program, who already work in the city hall as job order employees. He hopes that these graduates can inspire the others to work harder in the program.

He said that one graduates  is already working as a vaccinator at the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) while another works as City Hall at the community tax certificate  (cedula) releasing section.

Another graduate will also start working as a sanitary inspector for the city health in the next few weeks.

Lao hopes that the more beneficiaries will find purpose in their life and will no longer find the urge to go back to illegal drugs.

Councilor Sisinio Andales spoke to the surrenderees during the distribution at the social hall at the Legislative Building of the Cebu City Hall and told them the program of the city is only as good as the commitment of the benificeries.

“Wala niy gamit tanan namong gibuhat para sa inyoha kung mobalik ra sad mo sa drugs,” said Andales to the surrenderees.

A 52-year-old drug surrenderee, who will remain unnamed for confidentiality, said that he chose to stop using drugs and enroll himself to the rehabilitation program of the Cosap to change his life.

“Mas maayo man gyod nga mag-usab ta og niapil ko sa programa kay aron masugdan nakog sulbad akong mga problema,” said the surrenderee.

He said he has been into drugs for more than a decade but the COSAP gave him an opportunity to learn new skills and find other means of living. He started in the program last January.

He also hopes that he can still find a better life away from drugs. /bmjo