28 Caubian drug users to undergo community-based treatment

A PDEA personnel talks to the 28 drug users who have qualified for Lapu-Lapu City’s community-based drug rehabilitation program. / contributed photo via Futch Anthony Inso

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — A total of 28 drug users in Barangay Caubian in Lapu-Lapu City have qualified for the Community-Based Treatment and Drug Rehabilitation Program (CBDRP) of the city.

Caubian, an islet of Olango Island and the farthest from the mainland of Lapu-Lapu City, is about an hour and a half ride by motorized bangka.

City of Lapu-Lapu Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (CLOSAP) executive director Garry Lao, who also sits as co-chairman of the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC), said that the surrendered drug users are identified through the Olango Police Station.

On Monday, September 5, 2022, the drug surrenderers underwent a drug test as part of their assessment. Lao, however, said that all of them submitted negative results.

CLOSAP was also assisted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), City Health Office, and PNP in assessing the drug surrenderers whether their cases are low, mild, moderate, or severe category.

All of them, however, was considered a low risk of using illegal drugs, and they are qualified for the community-based treatment and rehabilitation program. If the PWUDs are severely affected, they are recommended to a facility-based rehabilitation center.

The city initially started with the community-based treatment and rehabilitation program at the City Health Office but now there is an existing program in the barangays.

The city has a program called ASSIST-BI (alcohol, smoking, substance involvement screen test with a brief intervention) which they use in assessing a surrenderer.   /rcg

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