Las Piñas City inaugurates drug rehab center

The center was built in response to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s call to prioritize and synergize efforts to stop drug addiction, according to Duque. #LasPinasDrugRehabCenter

Sen. Cynthia Villar and DoH Sec. Francisco Duque III inspect the bed at the drug treatment and rehab center. (CAV)

Senator Cynthia A. Villar and Department of Health (DoH) Secretary Francisco T. Duque III inaugurated the Las Piñas Drug Abuse and Treatment Rehabilitation Center Tuesday.

The DoH is working closely with government agencies and other stakeholders to strengthen our substance abuse prevention and treatment programs to ensure that we leave no one behind,” Duque said in a speech during the inauguration ceremony.

Duque said the DoH, together with the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Dangerous Drug Board (DDB), shares in the responsibility of creating better communities where drug users are treated and rehabilitated.

The center was built in response to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s call to prioritize and synergize efforts to stop drug addiction, according to Duque.

There is a huge gap between drug dependents and treatment facilities thus the need to establish more state-run treatment centers for substance abuse, he said.

According to the DDB, there are about 1.3 million drug dependents in the country. While 600,000 have surrendered to authorities, the total number of beds in government and private drug rehabilitation centers is only 3,216.

The rehabilitation center, with an area of 2,735 square meters and target bed capacity of 300, will address the high influx of drug surrenderers and help in rehabilitating and reintegrating through the effective alignment of services and programs at the community level.