In a virtual ceremony on September 11, the DDB turned over the funds to the Department of Health-Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in San Fernando, La Union, Local Governments of Maluso, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and Ormoc City, Leyte.
Dr. Herminigilda D. Salangad of DOH-TRC San Fernando, La Union shared that the monetary support will be used to construct a dormitory in the TRC compound to house in-patient residents undergoing treatment and rehabilitation.
For the Local Government Unit of Maluso, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the funding was received by Mayor Hanie Bud. It will be used for the construction of a community-based treatment and rehabilitation facility to further strengthen their advocacy against illegal drugs at both the barangay and municipal levels.
“Giving assistance for the implementation of community-based services is important because they play a significant role in the anti-drug campaign” said DDB Chairman Secretary Catalino S. Cuy. “We believe that the most effective interventions are the ones that emanate from the community, and carried out by the community for the community,” he added.
Mayor Richard Gomez and Vice Mayor Leo Carmelo Locsin, Jr., received the assistance for the Local Government Unit of Ormoc, Leyte. Mayor Gomez thanked the DDB for the funding support and attested that they have already picked out a site for the construction of the community-based treatment and rehabilitation center. “I hope that this is only the beginning of collaboration between Ormoc and the DDB in terms of drug abuse prevention and control,” he said.
The beneficiaries were given financial support as part of the DDB’s pledge to assist local government units and treatment and rehabilitation centers who need funding for the implementation of in- and out-patient programs. Every year, the DDB receives funding for the construction, maintenance and operation of government owned DATRCs, and recently have included in the mechanism, support to community-based LGU-led programs. The LGUs chosen this year were the ones whose program proposals were in line with the priority thrusts of the DDB to put communities at the center of the anti-drug advocacy.
This initiative is in line with the demand reduction program under the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy (PADS), which prioritizes improving access to government residential and private DATRCs, as well as community-based treatment and interventions for PWUDs who need out-patient services.