The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) participated in the kick-off celebration of the Drug Abuse Prevention and Control (DAPC) week yesterday in Rizal Park, Lucban, Quezon Province.

With the theme, “Listening First: Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe,” the event was led by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), headed by Secretary Catalino Cuy, and the Municipal Anti-Drug Abuse and Response Council of Lucban.

Representing DSWD in the celebration was Assistant Secretary for Special Concerns Jose Antonio R. Hernandez who congratulated DSWD partners who were given commendation by the DDB for implementing the Yakap Bayan Framework of intervention for recovering drug dependents.

The Yakap Bayan is an inter-agency collaborative framework that provides holistic services for the rehabilitation, aftercare, transformation and reintegration of drug surrenderers.

The Department spearheads the intervention framework in the hopes to turn recovering drug dependents into productive members of society by capacitating them to become volunteers and leaders in their communities with focus on public safety and disaster response.

Among the partners who received awards were the Ifugao Reflection Camp (IRC) in Kiangan, Ifugao and the Pagbabago at Pag-asa Reflection Camp (PPRC) of Lucban.

“Naintegrate na po namin ang drug intervention and rehabilitation sa public safety programs (We have already integrated drug intervention and rehabilitation in public safety programs),” said Asec. Hernandez.

He also noted that the Yakap Bayan framework is now being adopted in other areas in Santol, La Union; Tagudin, Ilocos Sur; and, in areas in Davao and Bicol Region.

“Atin pong suportahan ang laging panawagan ng pangulo na labanan ang drugs, crime at corruption (Let us support the call of the president to combat drugs, crime, and corruption),” he ended. ###