To maximize its contribution to the anti-drug campaign of the Duterte administration, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to explore partnerships with various groups for the implementation of community-based recovery and reintegration programs for recovering drug dependents and their families.
Just recently, DSWD Undersecretary Mae Fe Ancheta-Templa met with Dilaab Foundation, Inc., a Cebu-based non-government organization, and with the Ugnayan ng Barangay at mga Simbahan (UBAS) – Cebu to discuss and identify possible areas of collaboration.
During the meeting, Usec. Templa discussed the importance of having community-based programs on drug rehabilitation to help former drug users and pushers to start their lives anew. She also shared the steps undertaken by the DSWD to assist drug surrenderers, as well as its planned actions to strengthen and broaden its programs.
For his part, Dilaab Foundation head, Father Carmelo Diola shared Dilaab’s church-based program for drug surrenderers in their community, which is dubbed as “Labang” or “Lahat Bangon”.
Labang is a program developed by the foundation and the members of the UBAS-Cebu to help drug surrenderers. Launched in November 2016, it involves a six-month intervention program that starts with the orientation phase, which includes the immediate assessment of the level of addiction of a person. It is followed by psycho-social and spiritual capability building, vocational capability building, and the reintegration phase. Those who undergo the program are called “Labangers.”
Usec. Templa also met with “Labangers” and their families during a reflection and sharing session held in Subangdaku Garden, Mandaue City.
Helping recovering drug dependents
The DSWD leads the Pillar III of the National Drug Rehabilitation Program of the Duterte administration, which refers to the Aftercare, Reintegration and Transformation Support for Recovering Drug Dependents. The objective of which is to help drug users and pushers who have surrendered to rehabilitate themselves and return to the fold of society as active members.
Pillar III includes the allotment of funds for the Department’s Cash for Work (CFW) and Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) to provide assistance to the recovering drug dependents along with other psychosocial programs. It targets 41,708 drug surrenders for 2017.
The DSWD is also part of Pillar II, which refers to community-based rehabilitation pillar. As such, it has been consulting with different civil society organizations and faith-based organizations and coordinating with local government units (LGUs) for partnership development on assisting recovering drug surrenderers.
DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo has always been emphatic about the need to strengthen family and community relationships to ensure the availability of support system when rehabilitated drug dependents are once again mainstreamed into society.
“Ang institusyon ng pamilya ang dapat na maging sandigan ng mga taong nalulong sa bawal na gamot. Mahalagang palakasin ang mga pamilya upang sila ang magbigay gabay sa kanilang mga miyembrong nais mag bagong-buhay (The family as an institution should be the best source of support for former drug dependents. It is important that families should be strengthened to enable them to provide the needed guidance to their members who want to reform).” ###
