The country’s 22 public residential drug treatment and rehabilitation centers (TRCs) that are run by the Department of Health (DOH) will be getting a total of P1.8 billion next year to sustain their operations and increase their bed capacities, Rep. Michael Defensor said on Sunday.
Citing Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) statistics, Defensor said over 5,000 new drug abusers are being admitted to TRCs every year, without counting readmissions and outpatients.
Defensor named the 22 TRCs and their corresponding new operating budgets in the proposed P5.024-trillion General Appropriations Act of 2022 as follows:
· Bicutan Rehabilitation Center (P193 million);
· Tagaytay Rehabilitation Center (P108.7 million);
· Dagupan Rehabilitation Center (P98.4 million);
· Argao, Cebu Rehabilitation Center (P84.8 million);
· Cagayan de Oro Rehabilitation Center (P77.3 million);
· Camarines Sur Rehabilitation Center (P74.1 million);
· Central Luzon Centers for Health Development (P73.7 million);
· Dulag, Leyte Rehabilitation Center (P73.2 million);
· Malinao, Albay Rehabilitation Center (P69 million);
· Bataan Rehabilitation Center (P68 million);
· Pototan, Iloilo Rehabilitation Center (P67.6 million);
· CARAGA Rehabilitation Center (P66.3 million);
· Isabela Rehabilitation Center (P62.4 million);
· Cebu City Rehabilitation Center (P58.7 million);
· Malaybalay, Bukidnon TRC (P17.5 million);
· San Francisco, Agusan del Sur TRC (P17 million).
· San Fernando, La Union TRC (P13 million);
· Malagos, Davao TRC (P13 million);
· SOCCSKSARGEN Drug Abuse TRC (P13 million);
· Zamboanga City TRC (P8.4 million);
· Las Piñas Drug Abuse TRC (P6.4 million); and
· Bauko, Mountain Province TRC (P4.4 million).
An additional P112.6 million for the operations of the centers will also be available at the DOH’s central office, Defensor said.
On top of their operating budgets, Defensor said the 22 centers will also receive an aggregate of P390 million in new capital outlay to increase their bed capacities.
“The bulk of the new money for more beds will go to the centers in Tagaytay (P120 million), Bicutan (P40 million), and Bauko (P35 million), which is the youngest facility,” Defensor said.
Under the law, Defensor said drug abusers, with the help of their families, may voluntarily seek admission to any of the DOH-run centers as long as they pass a dependency test.
“Families also have the option to petition for the compulsory rehabilitation of household members who are known drug abusers,” Defensor said.
Drug abusers apprehended with small quantities of illegal substances may also be subjected to compulsory rehabilitation in lieu of a jail term, which may be suspended by a trial judge pending treatment, according to Defensor.
