TAGBILARAN CITY, February 4, (PIA)—Joint Councils of Bohol Peace and Order (PPOC) and Anti-Drug Abuse (PADAC) approved a resolution en masse, adopting a community based drug rehabilitation program suited for drug users with light to moderate affectation.
At a joint meeting held inside the Conference Hall of the Governor’s Mansion January 31, both councils headed by Governor Edgar Chatto formalized the adoption of the Community Based Drug Rehabilitation Without Walls (CBDRWW).
By the approval, the councils also green lighted the adoption of the program to all towns as the official drug rehab program for all drug users who opt to undergo the process.
CBDRWW is an adoption with minor modifications, of the Talibon Drug Rehabilitation Program without Walls, Argao Drug Rehab center program and best practices, explained the governor.
Then episcopal vicar of Talibon Diocese and among the program implementers since September 2016, now Tagbilaran Bishop Alberto Uy said the program “works on poverty, demands no experts because we have no psychologists, psychiatrists and counselors.”
As the name suggests, the program uses no confinement in a medical or correctional facility for treatment, and rather looks on to the physical, emotional, psychological, economic and spiritual needs of the drug victims end encourages them to stop alcohol, smoking, gambling and most especially the use of illegal drugs, bishop Uy explained.
Envisioned and attuned to the philosophy of human dignity and value, the program delves on the personality of an individual, and his relation to the community in as much as reintegration to the mainstream would demand that the victim needs all the help to work, pray and play along with his family and the community.
A collaborative concept of the local government, the Diocese of Talibon, its inter-faith communities and sectors, the program acknowledges that it will do its share of the drug problem by offering an alternative rehabilitation program to invite more drug dependents who still refused to surrender due to the uncertainty of getting a good rehabilitation program.
In his executive order, creating the technical working group drafting the Talibon Drug Rehab program, Mayor Restituto Auxtero acknowledges the need for a clear drug rehabilitation program to further invite those still refuse to surrender, while entertaining the thought that without a program, those who showed goodwill in surrendering would return to their illegal and harmful trade.
CBDRWW gives new hope for drug surrenderers to be treated from their addiction and renew their lives through worship and prayer, community service, group value formation and spiritual enrichment, through psychosocial counseling and family education, healing of family relations and engaging in livelihood grants, stresses bishop Uy during the meeting.
At the same meeting approving the use of the rehab program, Governor Chatto also called on the national government agencies, non government organizations and interest groups offering livelihood opportunities to help Bohol set up a menu of choices for those who complete the 3 to 5 months rehabilitation program.
The program however, only works for drug surrenderers who voluntarily signify to undergo the program which commits them to follow the policies of the rehabilitation.
In Bohol, authorities implemented the community based Center for Drug Education and Counseling (CDEC) where among the most critical processes include getting drug surrenderers into a World Health Organization approved Alcohol, Smoking, Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) Brief Intervention (BI).
The test determined the level of substance abuse and categorizes drug dependents according to their levels of affectation to determine the levels of intervention, clarifies Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez, CDEC executive officer.
Those who are severely affected are referred to a facility based medical treatment and drug rehabilitation center, we do not have the expertise for them, he noted.
Only those who are slightly and moderately affected individuals are eligible to the CBDRWW, Dr. Lopez added.
But, for the drug rehab without walls, authorities stress that it only works for those who are willing to get help, that is voluntary. (rac/PIA-7/Bohol)
