Cosap considering property in Budlaan for drug rehabilitation center

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (Cosap) is eyeing a city-owned property in the mountain barangay of Budlaan to become the site of the planned rehabilitation center for drug dependents.

Garry Lao, COSAP head, said that the original plan was to construct the rehabilitation center in one of the properties of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) in Cebu City but Cosap’s request has yet to be responded to by the agency.

Lao did not specify the location or the size of the Tieza property but he said that the request needs to be approved by the national office.

He said that they cannot wait for Tieza’s reply on the matter so they had to look for other properties, most preferably owned by the city, that can cater to the rehabilitation center.

“We need the rehabilitation center because we have many drug dependents needing the facility. Not only those who plea-bargained with the court but also those coming from the communities,” said Lao.

Lao said that they have yet to determine the size of the property in Budlaan but they will conduct a site visit next week to check in the area.

Cosap was supposed to visit the area on Thursday, February 14, but due to the rains, Lao said they did  not push through.

Lao said that Cosap is focusing on finding a property for the rehabilitation center as of now.

The design and the plan for the facility will follow with the coordination of the Department of Health (DOH), the agency that sets the standards for drug rehabilitation centers.

While the city rehabilitation center is still being ironed out, Lao said they are strengthening the community-based rehabilitation facilities in the barangays.

At least 15 barangays have already formed its own rehabilitation facility and program which caters directly to residents of their barangay including Barangays Bulacao, Basak Pardo, Bonbon, Taptap, Tabunan, Adlaon, Suba, Sawang Calero, Cogon Pardo, Tisa, Quiot, Sapangdaku, Talamban, and Budlaan.

These facilities also cater to violators of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 or Republic Act No. 9165 who were ordered by the court to undergo rehabilitation following a plea-bargain.

However, Lao said that community-based facilities can only cater to low risk and moderate risk cases but high risk cases are brought to the the DOH for rehabilitation.

For this reason, Lao said that a rehabilitation center in the city is necessary to cater to high risk cases as well.

Lao urged the other barangays to also establish their community-based rehabilitation center but he emphasized that this program should be the initiative of the barangay.

“Dili nato pugson ang barangay kay dapat ang community mismo ang mobuhat ana aron makasabot sila ngano kinahanglan ang facility,” said Lao.

Lao said that barangays wishing to establish a rehabilitation facility may coordinate with the Cosap, which will guide the barangay in the process of establishing a rehabilitation facility. /bmjo