THE very first local government unit to roll out a comprehensive rehabilitation program for drug addicts – Caloocan City – has churned out the first batch of “graduates” of its Community-Assisted Rehab and Recovery Out-patient Training System (CARROTS).
After convening the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council, Mayor Oca Malapitan ordered the speedy implementation of a community-based, out-patient drug rehab program, as the drug rehab building and facilities was just commencing its full-blast construction.
CARROTS is a 3-day para-counselors’ training attended by barangay chiefs and councilmen for peace and order or health and faith-based groups and community leaders.
Resource persons from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police taught participants basic knowledge of Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act and how to activate the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils through ‘Operation Masa Masid.’
Carrots is a lecture series that will run in five batches of approximately 100 trainees per batch, from October 17 to November 23. By the end of the series, all the city’s barangay leaders will be expected to fully activate their BADACs. This, in turn, will merge with Carrots-trained volunteers in the implementation of community-based rehabilitation programs that is being run by CADAC, in partnership with local parishes and the barangays.
QC’S ANTI-ILLEGAL DRUGS DRIVE FOR ‘GALING POOK’ AWARD
The Quezon City government’s multi-dimensional program to address the problem of illegal drugs has been nominated by Mayor Bistek Bautista for the prestigious ‘Galing Pook’ award, which is being conferred to outstanding LGUs that promote innovation and excellence in local governance.
The anti-drug effort, which is closely aligned with the aggressive anti-drug campaign of the Duterte administration, is highlighted by the implementation of a comprehensive and integrated program to make QC a drug-free community, from prevention to education to rehabilitation and crime mitigation.
Prior to the nomination, the city was already recognized by the Galing Pook Foundation for its socialized housing program and for having established a pioneering male-focused sexual health care facility in 2014; for massive parks development to transform QC into a garden city in 2009; for the rehabilitation of the Payatas disposal facility in 2008; for the Molave Youth Home in 2005 and for effective fiscal management in 2003.
The city’s anti-drug campaign got a big boost with the passage of an ordinance prohibiting the use of illegal drugs among city hall officials, employees and barangay staff for purposes of eliminating the hazards of drug abuse in the workplace.
Mayor Bautista has reiterated the need to sustain and strengthen the city’s effort to address the city’s drug problem, which also requires the cooperation of parents, teachers, principals, barangay officials, police and city government officials, towards the goal of addressing the city’s drug concern.
“It takes a wide network of stakeholders to prevent drug addiction,” the young and energetic mayor says. GOOD RIDDANCE/ARLIE CALALO