The Duterte administration is eyeing to develop an area in Fort Magsaysay
In a press briefing held in Malacañang on Friday,
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella disclosed that the proposal was aimed
to address the scarcity of rehabilitation centers in the country amidst the
government’s war on illegal drugs.
Abella, however, admitted that the government does not have
enough facilities to address the government’s rehabilitation efforts on the huge
number of drug peddlers and dependents who had already turned themselves in.
An estimated 600,000 drug “users” and “pushers” nationwide
have already surrendered to the government in its massive anti-drug campaign.
“Of the hundred percent (drug pushers), 90 percent of that
are experiential users and about nine percent of that are actual heavy users
and one percent are hardcore. So I believe, out of the 600,000, they (the
Department of Health or DOH) can give attention, special attention to about the
60,000 or more,” he said.
However, Abella expressed belief that rehabilitation efforts
may be done even at the barangay levels or through faith-based groups.“In fact,
I was, you know, I’ve been around, we were able to look at some of the sites,”
he said.
He also revealed proposals to develop a housing project for
the users and pushers. Alongside the planned rehabilitation center, would be
sustainable farming, and greening programs in the area as part of the
government’s intervention to address the unemployment and livelihood problems
of those who have engaged in the illegal drug trade to prevent them from
returning to their old ways.
“So that when the clients (those who will undergo
rehabilitation) will come out, they will have a better, they would have been
better, there will not only be deep talks and then they will also have learn
some skills and soe sustainable things, “ he said.
“In other words, the government is very very aware and is
very concerned that… it’s not just drugs are not just a national security issue
but also a public health issue,” he added.
Abella added that there are even private entities and
non-government organizations who are joining the government in the effort.
“It’s just that they’re very quiet….that’s exactly, yun ang mga dapat naha-highlight
din at this stage of the game eh ‘no. Meron actually some very credible and
admirable efforts that are being done in order to address,” he said.
He also said “let us look at it at the framework of the
whole matter,” he said as he pointed out that the estimated number of those who
voluntarily surrendered was in itself a revelation of the magnitude of the drug
problem that the country is facing, which is just the tip of the iceberg.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=917644
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