For the province of Ifugao in the Cordillera Region, every problem, even the problem on drugs, has a solution.

As the campaign of the present administration against illegal drugs intensified, it became clearer that the extent of the drug problem around the country was greater beyond expectation. Unprepared and not fully knowledgeable on how to deal with the problem, officials were alarmed when thousands of drug users and pushers surrendered.

Despite the enormity of the problem, Ifugao, was undaunted and showed its determination to deal with the crisis. On September 19, 2016, it established the Ifugao Reflection Camp (IRC), a facility that enables drug surrenderers to engage in a community-based rehabilitation program. It also provides after-care services that would help them stay sober, productive, and eventually be fully integrated with their families and communities.  IRC, in fact, became a model replicated by other provinces in the country.

The IRC later inspired the framework of the Yakap Bayan, the inter-agency project of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which features the aftercare, reintegration, and transformation of recovering drug personalities. Through the Yakap Bayan, former drug dependents are transformed into community volunteers, and eventually advocates and community leaders who contribute to nation building.

The IRC, however, is not just the ordinary halfway house with a structured way of living for its wards. Instead, its design resembles a camping type set-up where a maximum of 50 individuals every week per round can be accommodated for six months. IRC is located in an enclosed compound of the old Ifugao Provincial Jail at Tiger Hill in Baguinge, Kiangan. It was initiated and is being maintained by the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) as lead.

For many former drug dependents who have been transformed, IRC is where stories of hope, healing, and reconciliation bloom.

Watcher (not his real name), 40, and a father of five, who was one of the IRC campers can attest to this as he narrated his own story of change after undergoing through the rehabilitation program of the reflection camp.

A Story to Tell: A life destroyed

On one occasion, Watcher was invited to cook and help for a big wedding celebration. Seeing him tired and exhausted from the event, two of his peers called him to join them for a break outside. He followed them without knowing what they will be doing. His peers then started pulling out something from their bags. It was methamphetamine (meth), popularly known as “shabu.” They prodded him to try, saying he will not feel exhausted after using it. Feeling helpless, he started lighting the foil and running the meth three times. True enough, he started to regain his energy and became more alert and active.

After that day, Watcher felt that he needed the same quick relief. This “need” became stronger and he did not mind contributing a hundred pesos for shabu during every session. Initially, he only had one session every two weeks. Eventually, the drug took over his life for about a year without his family knowing about it.

When President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was sworn into office, he immediately declared a war on drugs. From several lists, thousands were warned to surrender. Watcher, keeping a low profile, had ignored it as he thought he was not on the list.

Then one day, someone called and asked him to surrender. Upon arriving home, a barangay official was already waiting for him. After a brief talk, he was then escorted to the municipal hall. It was only three days later that his family members learned that he was using shabu, which came as an unpleasant surprise to all of them.

His family became cold towards him. He was ignored, and no one wanted to talk to him. Despite this, he tried his best to win back their love and attention, but to no avail. Watcher did not know what to do; he was ignored by the people who meant the world to him.

Turning Point: Redemption

Then, a turning point came for Watcher. He was invited to attend the IRC program. He soon became one of the campers. At the IRC, each camper is obliged to attend and complete the 6-month program. For each month, they will be staying at the camp for a week and then back to their communities for the other three weeks.

The program includes interventions such as: detoxification (physical fitness exercises and dietary management); biomedical mitigation and monitoring; behavioral intervention (personality development, spiritual counseling, therapeutic community meetings, cognitive behavioral therapy, and family behavioral therapy); and community services (advocacy on anti-drugs, assisting in search and rescue operations during disasters, clearing and cleaning of drainages and roads).

Watcher actively participated in the various interventions. Aside from regularly joining the activities, Watcher also helped in maintaining the cleanliness of the camp. This, he said, was his way of reciprocating the kindness being shown to him by the staff of IRC.

As weeks passed, his family saw his commitment to reform his ways. They started accepting him again. In fact, they began to attend the family sessions that are conducted every last day of the week-long stay at the camp. His daughter even told him that she is thankful because even though he got involved in drugs, he never harmed them. Teary eyed, he promised to never go back to that life again.

“Ngayon po ay lubos ang aking saya dahil bumalik na po ang respeto sa akin ng aking mga mahal sa buhay at muli ay may masasandalan na naman sila na ama ng tahanan,” Watcher said. -30-