PCOO roadshow enlightens various sectors on ‘Rehabinasyon’

• Source:https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1023841
• Friday June 28, 2019

By Vicente W. Villavert (JBG/VWV/PIA Antique)

ILOILO CITY, June 28 (PIA) -- The real stories, numbers and solutions especially on the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign were highlighted recently by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) during a roadshow at the Iloilo Science and Technology University, this city.

The war on drugs has become a political issue to further the policies of the government, but at the same time it has become a tool of the enemies of the government to destabilize and destroy the government through disinformation,” said PCOO Assistant Secretary for the Office of Brand Integration Ramon L. Cualoping III before the audience coming from the various sectors of the community.

According to Cualoping, some 1.3 million suspected drug users and pushers have surrendered under the police's "Oplan Tokhang” and because of that number the PCOO with the Office of the President established a program with the PDEA dubbed as Rehabinasyon.

He explained that Tokhang is a combination of Visayan words “toktok” or knock and “hangyo” or request/plead, where policemen go from house to house of suspected drug addicts and drug pushers to persuade and warn them to stop from their illegal activities and submit themselves to the government for rehabilitation.

“This is about fixing our country through Rehabinasyon,” Cualoping said as he emphasized that the program aims to rehabilitate and reintegrate the surrenderers into becoming active members of the society again.

Video presentations conveyed the government’s thrusts to raise civic awareness about how innocent lives get wasted due to illegal drugs.

Cualoping ended his presentation by urging the participants to help and be part in the campaign against illegal drugs.

He expected that the participants were equipped with the knowledge about the government’s program towards the attainment of the drug-free Philippines and comfortable life for everyone.

Other parts of the roadshow include the discussion on the Freedom of Information (FOI) by PCOO Assistant Secretary and FOI Program Director lawyer Kristian R. Ablan; and Safeguarding Press Freedom in the Philippines by the Presidential Task Force on Media Security Chief of Staff lawyer Abraham A. Agamata.