The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to strengthen its advocacy to turn former drug dependents into productive members of society through its Yakap Bayan Framework of interventions.

Since 2016, DSWD, through Yakap Bayan, has worked closely with various line agencies and local government units (LGUs) to harmonize all existing government programs, projects, resources, and activities in order to create a holistic and sustainable approach for the transformation, rehabilitation, reintegration, and provision of support systems for drug surrenderers, their families, and their communities.

In the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), for instance, DSWD CAR, as head of the Regional Social Development Committee (RSDC), has recommended for the passage of a resolution urging all LGUs in the region to adopt the Yakap Bayan Framework which was subsequently approved by the Regional Development Council (RDC) and the Cordillera Regional Peace and Order Council (CRPOC).

In terms of support measures for drug surrenderers in the region, DSWD  through its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) has provided them with livelihood assistance worth ₱1,626,050 for their entrepreneurial projects such as: Community-Based Skills Training on Goat Raising in Kibungan, Benguet; Skills Training on Native Chicken Production cum Construction of Chicken Coop in Sagada, Mt. Province;  Cash for Building Livelihood Asset for the Improvement of Sitio Bue to Wala farm to market road in Paracelis, Mt. Province;  Bee Keeping in Bontoc, Mt. Province; vegetable farming in Bauko, Mt. Province; and hog raising in Danglas, Abra.

In addition, DSWD CAR also conducted technical assistance sessions in various municipalities in the region. As a result, the municipalities of Tuba and Bakun in Benguet and Luna in Apayao passed a resolution and forged a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with DSWD to replicate completed social technologies related to the prevention of drug abuse.

Some of the social technologies which will be replicated are the Family Drug Abuse Prevention Program and the Special Drug Education Center.

Moreover, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) held a training on “Katatagan Kontra Droga sa Komunidad Program” which highlights a relapse prevention module to 50 LGUs and 77 Municipal Links in CAR.

As of April 2019, DSWD CAR has conducted 13 technical assistance sessions to Municipal and Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council  (M/BADAC) members in the municipalities of Tuba, Bakun, Buguias, Tublay, Kibungan, and Kabayan in Benguet; Luna and Flora in Apayao; Dolores, Bucay, and Peñarubia in Abra; and Bauko and Paracelis in Mt. Province.

Technical assistance and resource augmentation were also provided to the Provincial/Municipal Anti-Drug Abuse Council (P/MADAC) of various LGUs for them to start their community-based rehabilitation services. These LGUs include the province of Ifugao; municipalities of Bauko, Bontoc, Tadian, Natonin, Sadanga, Paracelis, and Sagada in Mt. Province;  Baguio City; municipalities of Luna, Flora, Pudtol, Sta. Marcela, Kabugao, Calanasan, and Conner in the Province of Apayao; municipalities of Itogon, Kibungan, Tublay, Tuba, La Trinidad, Sablan, Atok, Buguias, Kabayan, Kapangan, and Bakun in Benguet Province; municipalities of Danglas, Manado, Bangued, Pilar, Penarubia, Langiden, Sallapadan, Licuan-Baay, San Quintin, San Isisdro, Bucay, Dolores, and Villaviciosa in Abra Province; and the municipalities of Lubuagan, Tanudan, Rizal, Pasil, Balbalan, and Tabuk City in Kalinga Province.

The Department continues to call on other LGUs across the nation to adopt the Yakap Bayan Framework of intervention to efficiently provide services to drug surrenderers and assist them to become effective community volunteers and leaders who are able to contribute to nation building. -30-