Not enough legislators going, says Governor Davide

The Cebu Provincial Board yesterday aborted its proposed study tour to New York where 10 members were supposed to observe a drug rehabilitation program next month.

Gov. Hilario Davide III said the legislators agreed to cancel the trip since there were not enough delegates attending the “customized” workshop and tour offered by Daytop International Inc.

He met with them in a pre-session caucus before the Board announced the cancellation.

Capitol officials drew flak in the past days over the planned trip abroad, whose cost and necessity were questioned amid Davide’s policy of prudent spending and transparency.

In a privilege speech in the PB regular session, the main proponent PB Member Gigi Sanchez-Zaballero said “we have not attained enough number of participants required for the training” which is a minimum of 15.

Calling the move a “temporary setback”, she said her commitment to improve the drug rehabilitation system in the province would continue.

“The cancellation of the trip may be considered a temporary setback as this does not mean that the PB will stop looking for means to pursue this endeavor,” she said.

At the end of her speech, where she sought to justify the trip’s benefit and purpose, she noted the criticism in the media about the proposed travel.

“Please allow me to say that due to the nature of our job as public officials, there will always be criticism from people who may see things differently,” she said.

“We certainly recognize that this should not prevent us from doing our job.”

The PB did not identify which of the 10 legislators had committed to go to New York or backed out of travel plans, which was estimated to cost at least P200,000 per member.

Alternative

PB Member Arleigh Sitoy announced that he would go ahead on his own to New York and observe how Daytop International Inc. is running its successful drug rehabilitation program, a “therapeutic community model” in Daytop Village.

But this would be at his “own personal expense” and will last for less than three days.

“Despite everything, I am now more convinced that I have to see and observe Daytop’s facilities. I will even bring my children to function as researchers,” he said in the session.

Upon his return, Sitoy said he would present his findings to the board and craft a provincial ordinance for the construction of more public drug rehabilitation centers in the province, including one in Hilutungan Island.

Davide earlier signed a travel authorization on Oct. 3 for 10 PB members to join the study tour to New York subject to the approval of the Department of Interior and Local Government, which is required for any foreign travel.

“Practically, there will be no trip and they decided not to go anymore because they cannot come up with the number,” he told reporters after coming from a closed-door meeting with PB members.

Justification

In her priviliege speech, Zaballero said she would “put to rest” questions about the purpose of the seminar, why it has to be in New York, why its necessary that each district is represented, and the benefits for Cebu’s problems on drug addiction.

Zaballero cited again the province’s lone government-owned drug rehabilitation center in Argao town as being inadequate and said the unique community-based treatment in Daytop Village had to be experienced first hand in order to find a way to replicate the system in Cebu.

“I am afraid that if we do not seek to have more information on possible treatment, we may end up losing a lot of lives who are victims of drug abuse-related crimes and worst, we end up wasting our human resources by succumbing to this social disease…. Hence the importance of seriously looking at the situation,” she said.

She said a minimum of 15 participants were required for the customized training program, and that it was “ideal” to have each Cebu district represented in the group since the drug problem differs in each area.

“Please understand that it is unlike our treatment here today where patients are placed in a four-cornered room and get locked because believe me, it does not work,” she said.

Zaballero raised the Daytop invitation last month during a PB session. She said she was committed to improve drug rehabilitation in Cebu, especially in training the staff, because of her sad family experience with a drug dependent brother, Greco.

After the speech, PB Member Joven Mondigo thanked her for the tour invitation which got “his interest”.

“For the record, during the previous administration, there were invitations but I declined. But now, I’m grateful for the invitation,” he said.

PB member Raul Alcoseba said the study tour could have helped ease drug problems in the first district but had to be set aside.

“Maybe because of the issues on the pork barrel, the public and the media is very cautious about spending government funds,” he said.

PB Member Sitoy downplayed the criticism against the trip and said it was not even final.

“Remember that it was only a shortlist (of the interested PB members). No money came out. Our names came out because we wanted to help our constituents,” he said.

Carmen Durano-Meca, head of the dangerous drug abuse prevention committee, assured the PB would continue the fight against illegal drugs.

“This won’t be the last. We will continue finding ways to ease the drug problem in the province,” she said.

Durano-Meca and Sanchez were in the original group of 10, but later said they could not proceed with the trip.

Others who were given authority to travel were Peter John Calderon, Jude Thaddeus Sybico, Julian Daan, Raul Alcoseba, Joven Mondigo, Sun Shimura, Miguel Antonio Magpale, Arleigh Sitoy and Aladin Caminero.

The study tour’s registration fee was US $1,500 per person. Rountrip airfare to New York City would cost US$1,373 or P59,000 according to one travel agency’s estimate.

The week-long workshop was to include lectures on “Treatment and Rehabilitation: Diverse Intervention and Treatment Approaches and “Clinical Challenges and Integration of Best Practices In Drug Treatment.” / Peter L. Romanillos, Correspondent