Only 5% of drug dependents undergo rehabilitation - DDB

CEBU, Philippines - Of the 1.7 million drug dependents nationwide, only about five percent submit themselves for rehabilitation, according to the Dangerous Drugs Board.

Yet of the five percent, more than 60 percent are successfully coping with drug dependency.

With this observation, DDB Chairman Vicente “Tito” Sotto III considers rehabilitation an effective strategy in fighting against illegal drugs in the country.

Sotto said that rehabilitation, prosecution, prevention and law enforcement are the four pillars that complete the creation of drug-resistant community.

“Supply reduction is not enough to destroy illegal drugs. Rehabilitation is really important because they will stop selling only if we stop buying,” Sotto stressed.

To increase the number of drug dependents voluntarily submitting for rehabilitation and in efforts to make the Voluntary Submission Program more accessible to drug dependents, DDB has made easier access to drug dependency exam and court petition as well as temporary confinement and actual rehabilitation.

DDB recently tied up with the Parole and Probation Administration (PPA), whose volunteer officers received technical assistance to become authorized DDB representatives.

With the presence of authorized PPA officers in different parts of the country, drug dependents living far from the DDB’s Quezon City office “may now approach the PPA regional offices within their area to accomplish their drug dependency exam, court petition and fulfill their temporary confinement and actual rehabilitation requirements.”

Sotto said that PPA has the expertise on these matters and it has been one of their important partners in helping rehabilitate drug dependents. 

Tapping PPA is also a way of addressing DDB’s lack of manpower to accommodate applicants. With PPA’s assistance, giving chance to those who would want to turn from being drug dependent will be fast tracked.

The two-day Training on Enhancing Life Skills on Drug Abuse Prevention improved PPA officer’s skills on counseling and teaching drug dependents to communicate, assert, and decide in their lives.

PPA officers also undergo orientation and seminar on processing of application for drug dependency exam and court petition filing.

Sotto also commended PPA-7 for having the most number of voluntary confinements and less number of relapses.

“We are really pushing for information dissemination so that the public and even drug dependents themselves may know the good thing about rehabilitation. We have very good rehabilitations especially here in Cebu,” Sotto said.

He said that lack of funds is preventing them to invest more in rehabilitation, adding that he would bring to the attention of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo the problem on lack of budget. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja/LPM (THE FREEMAN)