Drug rehab drains local gov’t funds

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Philippines—The intensified antidrug campaign has strained the budgets of local governments, prompting the Pampanga provincial peace and order council to approve the allotment of P10 million to support the rehabilitation of almost 10,000 drug users who have surrendered.

Vice Gov. Dennis Pineda obtained the council’s approval on Tuesday after he presented the provincial government’s program on drug reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration.

Locally known as “Dalan ning Pamagbayu” (Road to Change), the program is a “well-rounded, all-out anti-illegal drugs campaign,” Pineda said.

While drug users are helped to overcome drug dependency in six months, authorities will continue to find the sources of supplies and go after the distribution network, he said. The provincial government has donated vehicles, two-way radios and firearms to the police.

PINEDA

Gov. Lilia Pineda, the provincial board, Philippine National Police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Health (DOH) and Department of the Interior and Local Government have conceptualized the program in the absence of one supporting users who volunteer to change ways, Pineda said.

“It is not enough that they pledged to leave the habit. For those wanting to undergo rehabilitation, help is now available,” the vice governor said.

A drug test in accredited laboratories of DOH costs from P300 to P350 and local governments will be helped to fund this, he said. He said the P10-million allocation would be supplemented if there was a need.