Drug rehab center eyed in Silay
Friday, October 14, 2016
MARCHEL P. ESPINA
NEGROS Occidental Third District Representative Alfredo Benitez said that he is looking to establish a drug rehabilitation center in Silay City to address the massive number of drug surrenderers in his district.
He said that he was shown a picture of an area in Silay City that could be converted into a rehabilitation center.
“I have a funding for that. If the mayor (Mark Golez) will agree (to put up the facility at the site),” he said.
Currently, the only government-run drug rehabilitation center in the province is located in Victorias City.
“Victorias is receiving a lot of donation and assistance to increase its capacity for rehabilitation center,” Benitez said.
He said the approach to help the drug campaign of the national government is “to increase the facilities.”
An outpatient drug program was also launched weeks ago for drug users who surrendered in the Third District.
“There are some successes and some failures (in the outpatient program). Of the initial 50 batch we treated, only 16 graduated,” Benitez said.
Meanwhile, former board member Patrick Lacson said the eight-week outpatient program in Silay City, which concluded on October 7, encountered some setbacks.
Of the 49 who registered for the program, only 14 graduated, he said.
“The reason is that we cannot contain them all together into finishing our eight-week program because they are outpatients, meaning they still go back to their neighborhood and homes everyday. Along the way, some went back to using (illegal drugs). But the good news is that a healthy support group already exists in the city, (when) it only existed in Bacolod City before,” he explained.
He added that one of the most important parts of the program is to have them attend a local support group regularly.
“During my assessment with Mayor Golez, we came to decide that we will continue the outpatient treatment after the first batch, but we will not be doing it by batches, but rather treat the patients one by one as they come. We need the support of the police and the barangay officials, as it is them who identified and recorded who surrendered since July,” Lacson said.
Meanwhile, Lacson said the drug outpatient program in Victorias City will kick off on October 24.
@senso for A BETTER BACOLOD
Ang isa sa akon mga handom para sa Bacolod.
Ako ang kapitan sg sini nga barko. Indi ini magkadto sa wala ukon sa tuo, kundi derecho sa direksyon sang pagbag-o sang gobyerno para sa kaayuhan sang Bacolodnon.
