TACLOBAN CITY— President Rodrigo Duterte has promised to put up the first regional rehabilitation center for drug dependents in Tacloban City.
This was disclosed by Mayor Cristina Gonzales Romualdez who met with the President on Wednesday. Romualdez said that he informed her that Tacloban will be the site of the first regional rehabilitation center he promised during his first State of the Nation Address.
“He told me to continue our program to help rehabilitate drug dependents. He will extend assistance to us,” Romualdez said. “He said that so I will rely on his word. I pray that this will happen.”
Tacloban like other local government units in the country does not have its own drug rehabilitation center for drug users who voluntarily surrender. A private drug rehabilitation center in the city charges each “client” P25,000 every month. The rehabilitation process lasts for nine months.
Since the start of the “Oplan Tokhang,” more than a thousand drug users and pushers in the city have surrendered. As part of the program of the city government, spiritual renewal and promise of a livelihood assistance are offered to those who surrender.
Romualdez, however, was quick to say that trained personnel from the city government will “assess” those who have surrendered if they are qualified for assistance and if they are completely rehabilitated from the illegal drugs.
“We have to help them otherwise they will just return to the streets and commit crimes again,” the mayor said. “So we really need to address this to ensure our peace and order will not be affected,” she added.