Press Release
October 19, 2016

Villar opens farm school for drug rehab program

Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, in partnership with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other government agencies, will launch on Friday a drug rehabilitation training program in a bid to help reform drug surrenderees from Las Pinas City.

The training program is in line with the government's goal of helping former users of illegal drugs to go back to their normal lives and become productive citizens.

"We should all work together in stopping illegal drugs abuse in our country. One way to end this is by helping former users rebuild their lives so that they can have a brighter future," Villar said.

Villar said the rehabilitation training program is envisioned to help drug surrenderees jumpstart their new lives by providing them with basic information about the harms of using illegal drugs and giving them ideas for alternative livelihoods.

She stressed: "We must reiterate to them the evils of substance abuse. They need to remember that illegal drugs do not only destroy their minds and bodies, but also the lives of their loved ones." "But at the same time, we need to help them look for alternative sources of livelihood so they can become productive again. I believe that agri-farming is one of the easiest and best way of earning a living," Villar added.

The training program, which will be called SAGIP BUKAS: A Drug Rehabilitation Training Program for a Better Life, will be launched at 9 a.m. on Friday (October 21) at the Villar SIPAG farm school in Las Pinas.

The program is in partnership with Villar SIPAG, PNP, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Office of the President (OP).

Other partners include the Allied Botanical Corporation, Las Pinas General Hospital (LPGH), Diocese of Paranaque, Las Pinas City Health Office, and Las Pinas City Mayor's Office.

Participants to the program will be drug users from Las Pinas City who have already surrendered under the Oplan Tokhang initiative of the government. A total of 1700 drug users from Las Pinas have surrendered to the PNP. Out of this number, 120 will join the SAGIP BUKAS training program.

The participants are currently undergoing medical check-ups, like X-rays and urinalysis at the LPGH. After the check-up, they will go through the assessment and screening process to be conducted by the Las Pinas City Health Office and DOH-accredited doctors. All activities are being coordinated and monitored by PNP.

The drug rehabilitation training program will run for 12 weeks and will have 2 sessions a week (Thursday and Friday). The sessions will include free trainings on agri farming and health and wellness, and lectures on ethico legal aspects of substance abuse.

Program participants will likewise do coastal clean-up and mangrove planting under the stewardship of DENR. They will likewise do physical training and will learn to dance Zumba.

News Latest News Feed