MANILA – After sending a message that President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration was serious in its war on drugs, the anti-illegal drugs campaign should start shifting to reform and rehabilitation, according to Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara.
He said it is time for the administration to focus on rehabilitating the drug users, deviating from the “Oplan Tokhang” implemented at the start of Duterte’s term.
“Naramdaman na ng mga tulak at gumagamit ng ilegal na droga ang kamay na bakal ng administration. Makaraan ng tatlong taon, sa tingin ko ay kahit paano hindi na kasing tindi ng nakaraan ang pagtutulak ng droga sa bansa,” Angara added.
“Panahon na para baguhin ang imahe ng ating gobyerno, hindi lang sa ating mga kababayan, kundi pati sa mga dayuhan na nag-oobserba sa ating kampanya laban sa droga,” he said.
To complement the “soft” approach to fighting illegal drugs, Angara pushes for the establishment of a national Anti-Illegal Drug Campaign and Research program (AIDCARE), which aims to reform victims of the substance abuse.
“Naniniwala ako na karamihan ng mga taong nalulong sa droga ay nagnanais na magbago at mabuhay muli ng normal. Obligasyon ng gobyerno na tulungan sila dito,” Angara said.
The proposal starts with the creation of a national education and awareness program on illegal drugs, which includes a subject either in the K to 12 curriculum or instituted as a regular and frequent co-curricular activity or event in all public schools covering all levels of basic education.
A national helpline for drug abuse will be established to provide assistance to drug users, either by referring them to the rehabilitation centers or to provide immediate paramedic response in emergency cases.
“The drug menace is something that we should continue to address. What we want to do with this bill is to look at the other side of the coin, which is the rehabilitation of the users as part of the overall solution,” said Angara./PN
