Drug dependents in Laguna province have found different paths to reform, with some getting their hands dirty in farm work while others helping in community cleanup or learning martial arts as they try to kick their addiction.
In Los Baños town, those who surrendered in the government’s antidrug campaign were made to join greening activities as part of the local police’s rehabilitation program.
“While bigger cities offered zumba [classes], we thought, ‘Why not something that will do the environment good?’” said Supt. Vicente Cabatingan, town police chief.
The program started last week with a tree-planting activity in Barangay Maahas.
On Thursday, 83 users and pushers from Barangay Mayondon, also in Los Baños, joined a Laguna Lake coastal cleanup, removing tons of discarded fish nets, garbage and water hyacinths from the water and shore.
Erick, 42, who said he stopped using “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) three months ago, said the activity was a good way to kick the bad habit.
“I am hoping [the government] could also give us jobs. I have skills in fishing but any job they offer me will do,” he said.
In Pila town, users were offered temporary jobs as farm workers.
Senior Insp. Celso Jhune Talampas said he talked to farm lot owners in Barangay Concepcion and offered the services of former drug users to carry sacks of grain or plant rice.
“We’re glad [lot owners] welcomed the idea. Anyway, these people are just users and they understood that they were only victims [of drug pushing],” Talampas said.
Also in Biñan City, some drug users are learning taekwondo as part of the city’s fitness and rehabilitation program.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, the former drug users gather at the open park for a warm-up before they practice their kicks and forms.
Thanks to PO1 Joderick Maddam-op, 27, of the city police community relations unit, they have a taekwondo black belt holder for an instructor.
“It’s a whole package. We start [the sessions] with spiritual counseling,” said Rommel Dicdican, head of the Association of Barangay Captains.
In Quezon province, drug dependents in the island town of Patnanungan in Quezon province joined their town mates in cleaning their coastlines recently. —With a report from Delfin T. Mallari Jr.