Soon-Ruiz wants Mandaue City ‘drug cleared’ in 2020
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A “drug cleared” Mandaue City by 2020.
This is what Mandaue City councilor Nerissa Soon-Ruiz, is eyeing as the city has allocated P10 million in the city’s budget for 2020 to fund the anti-drug programs of each barangay.
“Nakita man gud ron nato nga it si really the budget that is needed for their program. Ang city, willing kaayo mo-support nila. Pero tan-awon sa nato kung naa ba gyud silay program una ta mohatag sa ilang financial assistance,” Soon-Ruiz, the city’s anti-drug focal person, said in an interview on Tuesday, November 19, 2019.
(We saw that budget allocation is really needed for their programs. The city is willing to support their projects but we will first have to look into the project details before we will release the financial assistance.)
Being drug cleared does not mean that a place is free from traces of illegal drug trade.
Instead, the classification means that the identified drug personalities in the area have been neutralized, there is no newly identified personality, and there is an effective community-based drug rehabilitation program for recovering drug dependents.
Soon-Ruiz said they are now working on programs with the City Social Welfare Services and the chiefs of the 27 barangays of the city to address what will happen to surrenderees after they complete the community-based rehabilitation program.
The programs will include community support, aftercare, and reintegration of the surrenderees into their respective communities.
“We will support them (in their) financial needs. We know that in any program, the budgetary requirement is a factor and how could we attain the objective of a drug cleared Mandaue if we won’t help them?” Soon-Ruiz said.
A city ordinance creating the Mandaue City Substance Abuse Prevention Office (MCSAPO), an office that will take charge in the anti-drug efforts of the city, is now awaiting the signature of Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes.
The ordinance has been passed on third reading last Monday, November 18, 2019.
Meanwhile, all 149 employees under the Mayor’s Office and City Legal Office tested negative for substance abuse during the surprise drug testing conducted by the City Anti-drug Abuse Council (CADAC) also on Monday. /bmjo
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