TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Rep. Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang filed House Bill (HB) No. 3974 that seeks to establish a drug rehabilitation center in the municipality of Rizal to be known as the Kalinga drug rehabilitation center and allocating funds for its continuous operation.
Mangaoang said the operation of the Kalinga drug rehabilitation center shall be under the supervision of the Department of Health and it shall be responsible for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug dependents from the province and such other drug users as may be referred to by the DOH.
Among the objectives and functions of the Kalinga drug rehabilitation center include to provide care, treatment and accommodation to persons found to be drug dependents; to bring a drug dependent on a state where he is physically, psychologically and socially capable of coping with problems common to his peer group; to facilitate and encourage the dissemination and exchange of ideas and information on the prevention, care, treatment and control of drug addiction and abuse; to provide after-care, followup and social re-integration services to enable a drug dependent to adjust to family and community life after his release; to provide each drug dependent motivation for regaining self-confidence, re-discover his working latent abilities and develop a sense of responsibility for himself or herself; to encourage the formation of organizations, associations or groups composed of parents, guardians and immediate relatives of drug dependents to incite their awareness and enhance their participation in the care, treatment and rehabilitation of persons found to be drug dependents; to undertake continuous training of physicians, nurses, health officers, psychologists and social workers on the practical and scientific methods of prevention, care, treatment and rehabilitation of persons found to be drug dependents and to strengthen the emotional and spiritual make up of an individual drug dependent by conducting regular guidance and counseling sessions as well as inter-denominational church services.
Mangaoang proposed the center shall be headed by a Director who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Health and vested with powers generally exercised by a chief of government devolved hospital.
Further, the Director shall appoint other personnel and staff as may be necessary for the effective and efficient operation of the center subject to existing laws, rules and regulations.
The center, through its Director, will be authorized to embark on a development plan in the fulfillment of the establishment of additional buildings, facilities equipped with modern equipment to serve and cater to drug dependents from Kalinga and such other drug dependents users as may be referred to by the DOH; initiate plans for the development of income-generating programs for the ultimate purpose of generating resources to provide additional projects for the center in the pursuit of its programs, particularly on charitable services; provide pharmacy services, dispensaries and health stations and provide on the job trainings and other educational facilities for interns, graduates and under graduates of medicine and related fields.
Mangaoang proposed the Health Secretary shall immediately include in the programs of the agency the establishment and operationalization of the Kalinga drug rehabilitation center in the municipality of Rizal and the funding of which shall be taken from the agency for the current year. By HENT