Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office X Regional Director Nestor Ramos (2nd from right) and other officials congratulate drug surrenderers from Sugbongcogon, Misamis Oriental who finished the 12-day Community-based Rehabilitation Program organized by the DSWD and other agency partners.

Some 50 drug surrenderers from Misamis Oriental received on Tuesday, March 7, their certificates of completion after finishing the 12-day Community-based Rehabilitation Program facilitated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine National Police (PNP), and other partner agencies.

Upon learning of this good news, DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo gave her congratulatory message to the surrenderers for successfully finishing the program and for taking the opportunity to reform. She encouraged them to put in good use all the lessons that they acquired during the program.

The event was participated in by various representatives from various agencies including DSWD FO-X Regional Director Nestor Ramos who discussed the 90-day aftercare program of the Department for the graduates.

Support for drug dependents

During the event, Dir. Ramos reiterated DSWD’s support to the Duterte administration’s National Drug Rehabilitation Program (NDRP) to provide aftercare services to  drug surrenderers.

As the lead agency that will facilitate the NDRP’s Pillar 3 or the Aftercare, Reintegration and Transformation Support for Recovering Drug Dependents, the DSWD with other national government agencies are tasked to provide a wide range of aftercare services to reinforce the transformation and rehabilitation of drug surrenders. These include skills training opportunities, psychosocial programs, and other community-based programs that will encourage them to actively participate in community service through Cash-for-Work (CFW) and Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP)

“We always assert the importance of family as the primary giver of support to help recovering drug dependents to start their lives anew. Aside from families, it is the community which should encourage drug surrenderers to be productive citizens. Hence, we need to strengthen both institutions,” Sec. Taguiwalo said.

“Let us work together, the public and the government, to achieve a peaceful and drug-free society,” she ended. ###