Kalinga PLGU signs agreement with DSWD-CAR to assist former drug users in the province

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Recovering persons and children who used drugs (RPWUD) in the province will now be given greater chance to avail of the social reintegration services of the government with the signing of the memorandum of agreement for implementation of the Yakap Bayan Program between the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office Cordillera and the provincial government of Kalinga.

The signing of the agreement was made between DSWD-CAR Regional Director Arnel Garcia and Kalinga Provincial Governor Ferdinand Tubban last week.

Having entered into the agreement, the provincial government is now mandated to enact local resolution in support of the program’s implementation, its sustainability through the integration of the Yakap Program to the LGU annual investment plan, and to allocate counterpart funds for its institutionalization.

DSWD-CAR for its part, shall provide all possible technical assistance and resources augmentation to LGUs, and allocate funds as support for its implementation.

The program, as explained by the agency, is a holistic intervention implemented within the framework of their agency’s mandate being the head of the disaster response cluster of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) for LGUs to assist RPWUD in their recovery journey and to facilitate their social reintegration.

This aims to converge readily available resources from key national government agencies, civil society organizations, and faith-based organizations to provide the needs of RPWUDs including but not limited to medical, psychological, livelihood, and spiritual services; integrate the indigenous culture by providing services to RPWUDs and capacitate LGUs to synchronize other community programs like disaster preparedness in drug rehabilitation and aftercare program.

How the program works

For its implementation, rehabilitation of drug surrenderees shall be conducted within the first six months.

In this stage, surrenderees shall receive medical and social services, including detoxification and counseling services. This shall also serve as the stage for the former drug dependents to conduct community service.

After the said stage, interventions for the reintegration phase shall start. As told, this stage usually takes around 18 months, involving skills training for the former drug dependents to enable them to start a livelihood. They will also undergo capacity building on disaster response.

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