560 more surrenderers graduate from QC drug rehab

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1057185
• Monday, December 24, 2018

By Perfecto Raymundo, Jr. (PNA)

MANILA -- A total of 560 drug surrenderers from the Quezon City drug rehabilitation center have recently graduated after completing the rehabilitation modules and counseling.

During the commencement ceremony on Wednesday, Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte congratulated the graduates for being able to finish the treatment.

“I want to congratulate all of you for staying committed and dedicated to change your lives and quit the use of illegal drugs. I am sure your families are very proud now that you are finally drug-free,” she said.

She also vowed to extend help to the graduates in acquiring jobs through the QC Public Employment Service Office (PESO), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which will provide services to ensure the hiring of the graduates.

“For those who do not have jobs yet, the city will help you through PESO, TESDA, and other private sectors to acquire skills and jobs so you will stay busy and productive now that you have finished the treatment. Don’t worry, because the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADACs) of your own barangays and the city government have prepared opportunities for you,” she said.

“Because we have found out in our profiling that one of the major causes of drug abuse among our people is idleness -- wala lang silang pinagkakaabalahan, wala silang ibang ginagawa (they only do not have anything to be busy about, they are not doing other things). So we will do everything we can to provide jobs for you,” Belmonte said.

She noted that the city government's intervention to those who finished the drug rehabilitation does not stop, for they will still closely monitor and provide after-care services to ensure a low relapse rate.

“However, our aid doesn’t stop here because we will continue monitoring and ensuring that all of you will not be just drug-free, but drug-resistant as well. And it is another challenge for you because every day, you have to decide for yourselves to say 'no' to drugs,” she added.

To date, the city has a total of 2,300 persons, who undertook the drug rehabilitation program out of the 20,000 surrenderers since 2016.