Drug pushers and users, who surrendered in Cebu City including this July 1 batch, will have a choice to be rehabilitated and trained to have skills that can land them a decent job. (CDN FILE PHOTO)
City Council: Rehabilitation and vocational training part of city’s intervention
Drug users and pushers in Cebu City, who surrendered and heeded the Oplan Tokhang (Operation Toktok Hangyo) of the police, will be given a chance to make their lives better through vocational training programs as part of the city government’s intervention for them.
This developed after the Cebu City Council approved a resolution asking the Department of Manpower Development and Placement to prioritize vocational training programs for “surrenderers.”
Councilor David Tumulak, who sponsored the approved resolution, said the vocational courses and trainings would be part of the rehabilitation of the surrenderers.
He said the vocational training program would also be at the top of the in-patient program that Cosap (Cebu City Office of Substance Abuse and Prevention) is offering drug dependents in the city.
As of yesterday, according to Cosap, 103 surrenderers availed of the rehabilitation or intervention program.
According to Cosap, these surrenderers came from Barangays Mabolo, Buhisan and Sambag II.
Tumulak said the training program would help them find a job, so they would not have to go back to selling illegal substances again.
“One of the best interventions that can be made is to provide these people with technical-vocational education and training programs, which may be availed at the city’s DMDP that will prepare them for a better future,” Tumulak said.
With the impressive turnout of surrenderers due to the Operation Tokhang, Tumulak submitted the proposed resolution to the City Council.
He said that unless they have something better to do, they might continue their illegal acts.
He said the courses and training they have to undergo would keep them occupied and busy.
“Our procedure is our police stations and barangays will submit the list of the surrenderers willing to go through the rehabilitation and trainings, and we will place them under DMDP,” he said.
The councilor said that the surrenderers would have the freedom to choose their courses.
When asked if these surrenderers would use this opportunity to train to earn a living to fuel their addiction, Tumulak said it would not.
“Ato lang this is one of our options for rehab process. Ug makita nila nga ang city nag-exert og effort sa pagtabang kanila mga suspected drug pushers,” he said.
He added that in order for the surrenderers to land a job they must also exert effort and time since they would be evaluated by DMDP. They would need to graduate from the courses they have chosen.
The DMDP has at least five courses to offer to the surrenderers.
These are Industrial Trade courses, Vocational Trade courses, Garments trade, Simple Technologies, and Food Trade and Culinary Arts.
The Industrial Trade courses would include automotive and electronic application while Vocational Trade courses would include cosmetology, computer literacy and computer programming, among others.
Garments trade courses include dressmaking, draperies and tailoring while Simple Technologies courses would cover wood lamination or silkscreen printing, soap and candle making.
Food Trade or Culinary courses would cover baking, cooking, food preservation, cake decorating and even hotel restaurant services.