(Photo by Philippine Information Agency – Philippine Information Agency, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60493111)
MANILA— Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Catalino Cuy is rallying governors and mayors to undertake the community-based rehabilitation program for drug users and dependents.
Cuy issued a directive to all local chief executives (LCEs) prodding them to adopt and implement a community-based rehabilitation program for low-risk and mild-risk drug surrenderers who have undergone the detoxification program of the Department of Health (DOH).
He cited Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB)’s Regulation No. 4 series of 2016, otherwise known as Oplan Sagip: Guidelines on Voluntarily Surrender of Drug Users and Dependents and Monitoring Mechanism of Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Campaigns.
“Capacitated personnel of the Anti-Drug Abuse Councils shall assess the drug surrenderers to determine their risks and further morbidities,” Cuy said in his memorandum circular to LCEs.
He also noted that Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991 which is turning 26 years old this month, mandates local government units (LGUs) to adopt measures towards the prevention and eradication of drug abuse.
“All LGU-initiated modules and learning materials on community-based rehabilitation program have to be developed in close coordination with the Municipal Health Officer and DOH,” he added.
Cuy said the DILG, as a member of the Rehabilitation and Reintegration Cluster of the Interagency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), pursuant to Executive Order No. 15 series of 2017, has been tasked to ensure the cooperation of LCEs and LGUs down to the barangay level on the implementation of the community-based rehabilitation program.