Vice President Leonor G. Robredo (left) exchanges views with Samie Lim (right), Chairman Emeritus of Philippine Retailers Association (PRA), Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) and Blims Lifestyle Group, during the opening of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s 42nd Philippine Business Conference & Expo on Wednesday (Oct. 12, 2016) at Marriott Grand Ballroom in Pasay City. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) — Vice President Leni Robredo has tapped several government units and groups from various sectors to help her office devise a community rehabilitation program for drug surrenderers.
Speaking before them on Tuesday night, Robredo underscored the need to come up with a comprehensive in-community program soon as most of the surrenderers qualify for this.
Data from the Philippine National Police showed that 738,193 people have surrendered to the anti-drug drive as of Tuesday morning.
The Department of Health earlier said that at most, only 10 percent of them will need to enter rehabilitation centers.
Robredo said her office has tapped at least 11 local government units, where they will roll out a pilot “template” program based on the consultations they have done.
The LGUs, chosen based on the number of surrenderers in the area and the “quality of leadership,” already have existing programs of their own, “but are willing to try our suggestions,” she said.
“Sa amin lang, dahil ang pangangailangan nandoon sa community na, that’s where we want to help. We don’t have naman any imagination or false hope that we can do so much. Pero sa akin lang, kung ano ‘yung matutulong at our level, we will do it,” she said.
The Vice President, who was briefed on the government’s approach on the matter last month, earlier urged various government agencies involved in rehabilitation to jumpstart efforts by making use of resources from both the public and private sectors.
She noted then that institutionalizing the interagency programs presented to her may take some time.
On Tuesday, she said the template program her office will carry out “will not be competing with the programs being done by government now.”
“What we just want to do is to complement. Kung meron nang programa, titingnan kung paano puwedeng mas mapapaganda ‘yung programa,” she said.
“We don’t have as much resource, pero nakikita ko lang, if we are able to show that the programs that we have decided on actually work in the pilot areas that we started with, I’m sure the government will be willing to spend for them. Maipakita lang natin na may mga programa na actually nagwo-work,” she added.
Hope for reform
Several groups gathered at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Tuesday afternoon for a multi-stakeholder consultation on community drug rehabilitation.
Representatives included religious leaders, medical professionals, as well as former drug users now assisting in rehabilitation efforts.
During the consultation, they asked the OVP to help them notably in linking organizations and resource mapping, as well as in pushing for a national policy.
For her part, the Vice President noted the need to see hope in reforming the surrenderers.
“[M]any of you here are testaments that there is hope for everyone. Kailangan lang tulungan ng buong community,” she said.
Robredo reiterated that the drug problem must also be seen “from a public health perspective” that cannot be addressed with a “one-size-fits-all” approach.
“All of us want the same thing. The bottomline kasi is we want to prove that everyone should be given a chance to reform. And again, I think there is so much that needs to be done as far as mindsets are concerned,” she said.
“This is the reason why some of you are faith-based, some of you are from the medical profession, some are LGUs, some from the NGOs and civil society organizations. Because we want to look at the program from all the different angles available. Because we think there is no one solution or formula that will work. It has to be a combination of so many things, which should be made available for everyone who will be needing our help,” she added. (MNS)