The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said F4iday, June 24, that it has launched a new Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (DATRC) in Trece Martires, Cavite to assist drug dependents and provide immediate interventions towards rehabilitation.
Located in 1 five-hectare land donated by the Cavite Provincial Government, the rehabilitation center is part of the P846-million program grant of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) called “Consolidated Rehabilitation of Illegal Drug Users” (CARE), which is in line with the Japan-Philippines Joint Statement on Bilateral Cooperation to combat illegal drugs.
The facility being operated by the Department of Health (DOH) can accommodate 400 male and 80 female patients from South and Central Luzon, who have high-risk drug dependence and are willing to undergo treatment and rehabilitation in an in-patient facility.
“Our journey towards bringing our illegal drug dependent kababayans closer to reintegration and recovery is now closer to reality with this five-hectare DATRC here in Cavite. This is another part of the Duterte Legacy that has truly impacted the lives of our fellow Filipinos,” DILG Sec. Eduardo Año said.
As the head of the DATRC Interagency Task Force, Año thanked President Duterte for "being firm in putting an end to the illegal drug menace in the country" which paved the way to innovations such as the DATRC and the Community-based Drug Rehabilitation Program (CBDRP).
He said the President’s directives to strictly enforce drug laws and establish and implement different policies and programs help former drug dependents overcome addiction and rebuild their lives.
“With his tapang at malasakit brand of leadership, President Duterte mobilized the Philippine National Police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and other allied government instrumentalities to wage a full-blown campaign to crack down the illegal drug market and stop the distribution of illegal substances from different parts of the country,” Año said.
Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive. Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002”, provides that the State must implement effective mechanisms or measures to re-integrate into society individuals who have fallen victims to drug abuse or dangerous drug dependence through sustainable programs of treatment rehabilitation.
“Through interventions such as CBDRP and DATRC, we are widening our reach and capacities to cater to more individuals who silently yet desperately need our help,” Año said.
The DATRC has complete amenities and facilities such as processing building, medical and Administration Building, family waiting area, reception/information area, nurse’s station, observation room, conference room, Office of the TRC Chief, visitors building, garden, prayer hall, covered walkway, male/female patient dormitory, activity center, training building, staff dormitory, and transition dormitory.
According to the DOH, the DATRC in CALABARZON will be the apex or end-referral of all rehabilitation centers in the country with the DOH’s Formula One Plus strategic pillar in the health service delivery network.
As of March 2022, there are a total of 74 accredited government and private DATRCs in the country.
Of this number, 12 are residential government-owned (DOH-managed), 8 are residential and LGU-managed, 6 are residential with outpatient service (DOH-managed), one non-residential government-owned (DOH-managed), four non-residential (LGU-managed), 41 private residential, and 2 private non-residential.
Año also acknowledged the government’s partners, including JICA, for their "unwavering perseverance" to establish more drug rehabilitation centers all over the country and commitment to envisioning a safe and drug-free Philippines.
“We thank our partners for persevering and pushing for the establishment of more drug rehabilitation centers all over the country. Through similar concerted efforts now and in the future, I am confident that more and more Filipinos will see the truth behind the success of drug rehabilitation, help dispel their fears and doubts, and normalize the act of seeking help and treatment for drug dependence in the country,” he said.