Japan to assist PHL in improvement of drug rehab facilities

REY BANIQUET/Presidential Photo

MANILA—A month after the Japanese government sent a team to the Philippines to explore possible aid to the latter’s war on drugs, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday said Japan will help in the improvement of drug rehabilitation facilities in the country.

“We want to work together with the Philippines to think of relevant measures of support,” Abe said in a joint statement after a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte at the Malacanang Palace.

Abe is in the Philippines for a two-day official visit that will also include a historic visit in President Duterte’s hometown in Davao City.

The Japanese leader said Japan will tap private sector to assist the Duterte administration in the improvement and formulation of treatment programs amid a strong campaign against illegal drugs in the Philippines.

“For our part, Japan will tap among others, knowledge of the private sector to assist in the improvement of related facilities, formulation of treatment programs and in other areas,” Abe said.

President Duterte, on the other hand, welcomed Japan’s interest to support measures to address the tremendous social cause of drug addiction.

“We both agreed to work together in pursuing a comprehensive approach in the war against the illegal drug trade,” Duterte said.

“As the Philippines pursues its campaign to destroy illegal drugs trade apparatus, we welcome the expressed interest of Japan to support measures to address the tremendous social cause of drug addiction, this includes rehabilitation,” he added.

President Duterte’s war on drugs for the last six months has yielded positive results, prompting one million drug pushers and users to surrender to the authorities.

According to the Philippine National Police (PNP) data, over 44,000 arrested drug personalities have been arrested while 2,212 were killed in legitimate police operations.

Unfazed by a tremendous job to solve illegal drugs that has contaminated 4 million Filipinos, President Duterte vowed not to stop his campaign until the last drug addict is out of the streets.