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[av_heading heading=’More junkies ‘graduate’’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”][/av_heading]
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Tuesday, august 1, 2017
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ILOILO City – A total of 199 drug surrenderers graduated yesterday from community drug rehabilitation centers (called The Crossroads) in seven districts.
These latest graduates followed the first batch of 209 clients that graduated in January.
“We are glad that they persevered to change. We hope they will not go back to using illegal drugs and instead focus in making themselves better persons,” said Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog during the graduation ceremony at Diamond Jubilee Hall.
The Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Philippine National Police (PNP) are always ready to run after illegal drug users, pushers and protectors, he reminded them.
Iloilo City has 3,180 validated drug surrenderers – less than one percent affectation of the total 449,000 population.
The Crossroads offer free and holistic drug rehabilitation program for mild to moderate cases of drug addiction. Clients are given daily doses of Vitamins C and B, counseling, values formation, spiritual and sports activities.
City gall also supports the drug rehabilitation program of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 by providing rice and sardines to drug surrenderers, said Mabilog.
An estimated 600 drug surrenderers from metropolis graduated from the PRO-6 drug rehabilitation program.
Representatives from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) were also present during the graduation ceremony.
After the six-month community-based rehabilitation, the graduates will be enrolled in technical-vocational courses at Technical Institute of Iloilo City (TIIC) Molo or Bo. Obrero. They can enroll in driving, masonry, welding, computer repair, food and beverages.
Mabilog also urged the graduates to form an organization in each district and start a livelihood program.
“Your barangay captains, DOLE and DSWD are ready to help you grow your business and at the same time with your capitalization,” said Mabilog.
A total of seven companies also joined the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) job fair on the day of graduation.
“Since they are graduating and upon the directive of Mayor Mabilog, we put up a recruitment area for the job fair to provide employment opportunities,” said PESO head Ma. Elena Benitez.
“We are very glad because these companies also give our graduates another chance to start their lives. We just hope and believe that there are also other companies which are willing to offer job opportunities to them,” she added.
Most of the companies are looking for skilled workers like driving and masonry.
PESO is also conducting job fairs for drug surrenderees in various barangays.
“We are appealing to drug surrenderees not to be ashamed in applying for job because our city government’s mission and advocacy is really to help you and give you chance to change,” Benitez said. (Iloilo City PIO/PN)
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