Barangay Captain Arnulfo Abinales of Poblacion Oriental, Consolacion explains the need for a different approach to solving the drug problem in their barangay. |Irene R. Sino Cruz
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A barangay in Consolacion, a municipality at least 22 kilometers north of Cebu City, is planning to implement a wholistic drug recovery project.
Barangay Captain Arnulfo Abinales of Poblacion Oriental said that the government did not have a program to help the drug surrenderers.
Instead, Abinales said that the police as well as the departments of health and interior and local government turned over their responsibilities to the barangays.
However, the barangays did not have any idea on how to approach the drug problem in their respective areas, he pointed out.
But with the help of some non-government organizations, Barangay Poblacion Oriental has come up with this project.
The project would not only focus on drug dependents but also on their families as well.
According to Abinales, the proposed program will be the first of its kind in the Philippines.
He said that in the worsening drug problem, the drug addicts were not the only victims.
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Abinales said that the families of drug addicts should also be considered as victims, especially if the father who is the family breadwinner would be incarcerated.
He said that drug dependents would undergo a three-month, thrice weekly sessions.
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Then the drug dependents would be required to wear a device upon completion of the three-month sessions, Abinales said.
This device could detect if the drug dependent would have a craving for drugs or would go into depression, he added.
The device would send an alarm to the server to inform the counselors so they could immediately act on the problem, Abinales said.
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On the other hand, the program will also have a component for the children and the mothers.
Abinales cited a study that found children of a drug addict would also become one themselves.
An NGO has committed to implement a scholarship program for them.
Other NGOs had livelihood projects for the family members, Abinales said.
He hoped to get more support for the project since the barangay had limited funds and allocated only P100,000 for the project.
The project will be launched at a mall in Consolacion on June 21./dbs