DAGUPAN CITY -- Rehabilitation of drug surrenderers under the Masa Masid (Mamamayan Ayaw sa Anomalya, Mamamayan Away sa Droga) is now going on in earnest in Dagupan City.
City Director Director Rhoderick Dawis of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said the program was piloted in Barangay Lucao last July 5 where there are 76 surrerderers or confessed drug users.
Dawis said all these were gathered by Lucao Barangay Chairman Marcelino Fernandez and were directed to undergo drug testing at the Dagupan Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (DDTRC) in Barangay Bonuan Binloc.
The surrenderers were assessed as to their level of affectation. There were 27 who were found to be at high risk or in severe degree of affectation, 43 are moderately affected and six were found to be in low level of drug addiction.
The 26 found to be at high risk are now undergoing six-month treatment as in-patients of DDTRC while the 43 who are moderately affected are now undergoing 18-week treatment at the same facility as out-patients.
Meanwhile, the six others with low level of affectation are now attending community-based rehabilitation in weekly sessions conducted by trainors from the religious sector.
These are from Barangays Pogo Chico, Malued, Pogo Grande, Lasip Grande, Lasip Chico, Pantal and Tebeng.
He said those who will finish their rehabilitation will have to report to their barangay chairman, and will be monitored closely by the police and if found to maintain a good behavior, their names will be finally removed from the drug watch list of the police.
Dawis said they will have until November this year to finish the Masa Masid program all over Dagupan at which month the Dagupan City police is also expected to declare the whole city as drug-free.
Dagupan has a total of 1,200 drug surrenderers, based on the list of the police.
To date, 28 of the 31 barangays are now drug-cleared. The three others yet to be cleared are Calmay, Pugaro and Barangay 2 &3. (PNA)
