A total of 420 Persons who Use Drugs (PWUDs) in San Juan City received livelihood packages from the city government on Monday, Dec. 18, as part of its efforts in giving them another chance in life and as a reward for their commitment to change for the better.

Mayor Francis Zamora

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora led the distribution of livelihood packages at the San Juan City Hall Atrium together with the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council. 

Zamora said the beneficiaries were a mix of currently enrolled and graduates of San Juan City's rehabilitation program.

"Ang programang ito ay ginawa natin sapagkat gusto ko pong magkaroon kayo ng maayos na kabuhayan. Gusto ko po na pagkatapos ng inyong pinagdaanan at naranasan, bumalik po kayo nang maayos sa lipunan na nakakatulong sa inyong mga pamilya, nakakatulong sa inyong mga mahal sa buhay (We created this program because we want you to have a proper livelihood. I hope that once you return to society after your ordeal and experience, you may be able to also help your family and your loved ones)," Zamora said.

"Para sa akin, ang pinakamagandang paraan ay bigyan kayo ng tulong at suporta upang magkaroon ng kaunting pera (In my opinion, giving you financial help is one of the best ways for you to be able to recover from drugs)," he added.

The PWUDs received a 50 kilograms sack of rice, hygiene kits, three dozens eggs, three bags of groceries containing canned goods, coffee, milk, noodles, biscuits, cup cakes, cooking oil, and condiments.

The mayor explained this is part of San Juan's effort to maintain its 100 percent drug-cleared barangays as it applies next year to be declared as a drug-free city by  the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA ).

Grocery store Puregold had also set up its Aling Puring booth to provide membership cards to interested recipients.

Aside from the distribution of livelihood assistance to PWUDs, Zamora also led the blessing of the new Balay Silangan which is the first drug rehabilitation facility in the city.

(Photo by Patrick Garcia)

The new reformation center used to be the city’s Covid-19 facility constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The 1st floor of the container van facility will remain as a Covid-19 facility while the 2nd floor was transformed into a fully air conditioned rehabilitation facility.

A PDEA office will also be built in the facility.

The reformation center is funded by the city government and will be the venue where patients will be taught livelihood programs and classes to help them in their reintegration to society.

Drug-cleared

In August, Zamora was commended by PDEA and the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) for leading the city's relentless anti-drug campaign which made San Juan the only city in the National Capital Region (NCR) to have all its barangays drug-cleared.

"Gagawin po natin ang lahat sa ating makakaya upang panatilihing maayos, hindi lamang ang San Juan, ngunit ang kabuuang Metro Manila (We will continue to do everything we can to ensure peace and order not only in San Juan, but in the whole of Metro Manila)," Zamora, also the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) chairman and Metro Manila Council (MMC) president, said.

On Feb. 9, the city's last three barangays were declared fully drug-cleared after complying with all parameters set forth by the Regional Oversight Committee for Barangay Drug Clearing Program headed by PDEA, Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Department of Health (DOH). The three barangays, namely Barangays West Crame, San Perfecto, and Batis, received their provisional status on Dec. 14  last year.

"Ito nga sa drug clearing natin, tayo nga ang first city in Metro Manila na 100 percent ng barangays ay drug-cleared and we are pushing ourselves to become the first city naman to be drug cleared (In terms of our drug clearing initiatives, we were declared as the first city in Metro Manila to make all its barangays 100 percent drug cleared and we are pushing ourselves to become the first city be declared as drug cleared)," the mayor said in an interview with Manila Bulletin.

Zamora explained that PDEA's declaration that all barangays in San Juan are 100 percent drug cleared is different from it being tagged as a drug-cleared city.

We have to achieve sustainable drug clearing in all barangays para maging drug-cleared city. About six to eight months period na imomonitor ka ni PDEA kung masusustain mo sya (We have to achieve sustainable drug clearing in all barangays for us to be declared as a drug cleared city. It will take about six to eight months of continuous monitoring by the PDEA to see if we can sustain it)," he explained.

Aside from keeping all barangays drug cleared, PDEA also takes into consideration the establishment of drug reformation facilities and programs being implemented by the LGU.

“We look at our PWUDs or the persons who use drugs as our constituents whom we have to support in terms of getting reintegrated back into the community. So we are setting this up for them, we will fund this for them, and we will make sure that during their stay here, they will be able to learn how to go back to normal life,” Zamora explained.

“Yes, they have experienced getting into drugs, being hooked into these substances, but again, we have to give them a second chance to be able to reintegrate themselves into the community,” he added.

The local chief said that the city is building a bigger drug reformation facility to accommodate more PWUDs and give them another chance in life.

National government and local government partnership

Zamora stressed the importance of the cooperation between the national and local governments in ensuring the decline in drug-related cases and users not just in Metro Manila but in the whole country.

"For us to be able to sustain all of these, the PNP and the PDEA will really have to help us kasi sila naman ang mga national agencies na tasked to do this aside from the LGU of course (For us to be able to sustain all of these, the PNP and the PDEA will really have to help us because they are the national agencies tasked to do this aside from the LGU of course)," the mayor noted.

"Yung information na nakukuha namin plus yung information na nakukuha din nila, nirereconcile natin yan. Very strict din ako when it comes to our barangay officials eh, meaning, talagang sabi ko eh whatever we all say or do reflects on the city (The information that we receive, plus the information that they get, are reconciled to help create our various anti-illegal drug campaigns and initiatives. I'm also very strict when it comes to our barangay officials and I always tell them that whatever we say or do reflects on the city)," he added.