ILOILO City – Eighty-four pioneer graduates of the city government’s drug rehabilitation program each received P10,000 as livelihood startup capital.
According to Mayor Jose Espinosa III, the financial assistance could help the drug surrenderees start a new life after recently finishing their skills training at the Technical Institute of Iloilo City (TIIC).
“This is the city government’s way of helping you start your lives anew. We do hope that you will use the fund in a good way,” Espinosa told the beneficiaries.
Of the 84 recipients, 28 were from the districts of La Paz and Lapuz, 17 from Jaro, 13 from Molo, 12 from the City Proper, eight from Mandurriao, and six from Arevalo.
Espinosa also encouraged the drug surrenderees to report other users and pushers of illegal drugs in their respective barangays.
City Health Office (CHO) head Dr. Bernard Caspe said only beneficiaries who have successfully graduated from TIIC were qualified for the financial assistance.
“The other 125 who completed their rehabilitation but were not able to undergo skills training were not given cash assistance. Some of the graduates have their own jobs. Some may be lazy to join the skills training while some could be joining the next batch,” Caspe said.
Robert Dequiña, president of New Life SLP Association that oversaw the rehabilitation process, thanked Espinosa, CHO, Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) for the assistance given them.
“Before, we are of no use to the community but because of the assistance you have given to us, here we are now having a new life. We would like to thank Mayor Joe III. We will use this to help our family and ourselves to be good residents of Iloilo City,” Dequiña said.
Espinosa vowed to help the laundry shop business which serves as the livelihood program of the first batch.
There were 199 graduates for the second batch and there is an ongoing rehabilitation of the third batch composed of some 275 drug surrenderees.
The district rehabilitation centers constitute the city’s sustainable anti-drug programs to provide rehabilitation and treatment to those patients who choose to have second chance to reform their lives from the ill effects of illegal drugs. (Merianne Grace Ereñeta, Iloilo City PIO/PN)
