Graduates of the Cebu City’s community drug rehabilitation program. | Photo Courtesy of the Cebu City PIO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — More drug surrenderees in Cebu City have graduated from the Community-based Drug Rehabilitation Program, rendering them “drug-free.”
Jonah John Rodriguez, the head of the City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP), said in a phone conference that the 84 graduates are all from Barangay Basak Pardo, which is one of the barangays that has more than 100 surrenderees in the past years.
The Community-based Drug Rehabilitation Program has been ongoing in the barangays to encourage drug dependents to change and turn their lives around.
Read: Cebu COSAP to strengthen rehabilitation of drug users and pushers
“Nalipay ta kay daghan natag graduates sa atong community rehab. Nagsige tag bisita sa mga naa sa drug watchlist para to encourage them nga moapil nasad sa atong rehab program,” said Rodriguez on Tuesday, May 11, 2021.
The program not only provides a guided rehabilitation for its surrenderees, but also livelihood programs and skills training so they can easily find a job after graduating from the six-month program.
The 84 drug surrenderees will still be monitored to check on their progress after graduating as the COSAP did for the many graduates of the program in the past.
Prior to graduating, the 84 surrenderees also conducted coastal clean-up and tree-planting of over 100 seedlings as part of the Mayor Edgardo Labella’s target of planting three million trees in three years.
Read: In Photos: Cebu City resumes campaign to plant 3M trees in 3 years
Rodriguez said that with their successes in the community rehabilitation program, they hope to encourage drug dependents to take this path and change their lives.
In past statements, Rodriguez said that the counselors and teachers of the programs are former drug surrenderees who have changed their ways and are now helping the program.
Some graduates of the program will also work to help more surrenderees in other barangays.
/bmjo