Robredo vows remain active in pursuing anti-drugs advocacy
Published Jan 5, 2020 12:00 am
By Raymund Antonio
She may no longer be the co-chair of the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), but Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday said she would be “active” on pursuing anti-drugs advocacy.
Robredo reaffirmed her commitment to help the government through a holistic approach to solve the drug menace during this year's first episode of her radio show, “BISerbiysong Leni.”
Vice President Leni Robredo
(Charlie Villegas, OVP / MANILA BULLETIN) The Vice President is advocating for community-based drug rehabilitation and drug use prevention as a more effective solution to the country’s drug problem. For Robredo, drug addiction should be treated as a public health issue that needs a more comprehensive response. “Iyong pag-advocate sa programa ng gobyerno para makatulong hindi lang sa rehabilitation and reintegration pero makatulong sa prevention. Iyong pinakamahalaga papaano maiiwasan na malulong pa sa droga iyong mga kababayan natin,” she said. (We want to advocate on the program of the government not only to help in the rehabilitation and reintegration, but also in the prevention. The most important way is how to prevent our countrymen from being lured into illegal drugs.) “Iyong part of prevention program ng pamahalaan, talaga pagbuhusan ng tulong iyong mga komunidad pero tulong na pinagplanuhan hindi lang 'yung for compliance,” she added. (On the part of the prevention program of the government, help should be given to communities, but this should be well planned and not only done for compliance.) Robredo noted the lack of to community-based rehabilitation program for drug users in several areas nationwide was among her reasons to continue such advocacy. The former drug czar cited that 10 percent of the more than a million drug users who surrendered to authorities only required in-patient treatment. “Sa screening, 90 percent mga mild users lang, mga mild users na ang pinakakailangan na intervention hindi naman sila kailangan ikulong. Hindi sila kailangang ilagay sa isang rehabilitation center. Ang kailangan lang nila mayroong community-based rehabilitation program na ginagawa para hindi sila lumala pa,” she said. (On the screening, 90 percent of them were only mild users, who need intervention and not confinement. They don’t need to be placed in a rehabilitation center. What they need is a community-based rehabilitation program so their conditions won’t worsen.) Robredo has been gathering support from the Church, civil society, and other advocacy groups to reform the government’s war on drugs.
Vice President Leni Robredo(Charlie Villegas, OVP / MANILA BULLETIN) The Vice President is advocating for community-based drug rehabilitation and drug use prevention as a more effective solution to the country’s drug problem. For Robredo, drug addiction should be treated as a public health issue that needs a more comprehensive response. “Iyong pag-advocate sa programa ng gobyerno para makatulong hindi lang sa rehabilitation and reintegration pero makatulong sa prevention. Iyong pinakamahalaga papaano maiiwasan na malulong pa sa droga iyong mga kababayan natin,” she said. (We want to advocate on the program of the government not only to help in the rehabilitation and reintegration, but also in the prevention. The most important way is how to prevent our countrymen from being lured into illegal drugs.) “Iyong part of prevention program ng pamahalaan, talaga pagbuhusan ng tulong iyong mga komunidad pero tulong na pinagplanuhan hindi lang 'yung for compliance,” she added. (On the part of the prevention program of the government, help should be given to communities, but this should be well planned and not only done for compliance.) Robredo noted the lack of to community-based rehabilitation program for drug users in several areas nationwide was among her reasons to continue such advocacy. The former drug czar cited that 10 percent of the more than a million drug users who surrendered to authorities only required in-patient treatment. “Sa screening, 90 percent mga mild users lang, mga mild users na ang pinakakailangan na intervention hindi naman sila kailangan ikulong. Hindi sila kailangang ilagay sa isang rehabilitation center. Ang kailangan lang nila mayroong community-based rehabilitation program na ginagawa para hindi sila lumala pa,” she said. (On the screening, 90 percent of them were only mild users, who need intervention and not confinement. They don’t need to be placed in a rehabilitation center. What they need is a community-based rehabilitation program so their conditions won’t worsen.) Robredo has been gathering support from the Church, civil society, and other advocacy groups to reform the government’s war on drugs.