MALASIQUI, Pangasinan — Four drug surrenderers in this town have attested to the positive effect on their lives of the community-based rehabilitation program under the Philippine National Police’s campaign against illegal substances, widely known as “Oplan Tokhang”.
“Andoon kasi yong programa ng gobyerno natin under President Duterte, doon ko naramdaman na kapag nasa puso ang pagbabago, gaganda ang buhay mo (There is this program of the government under the administration of President Duterte, where I felt that if change is in your heart then your life will be better),” said Reynaldo Bulatao, 43 years old, from Barangay Banaoang here.
Bulatao started using illegal drugs with his friends in 2014, when he lost his job at a ship construction company in Subic, Zambales.
“Tumitikim- tikim ako sa party kasama ang tropa. Masakit pero nangyari kasi hiniwalayan ako ng asawa ko at ang mga anak ko nawala ang tiwala nila sa ama nila, nagalit sila sa akin lalo nang lumabas na ang listahan ng ‘Tokhang’ at kasama ako doon (I tried illegal drugs with my friends. But what happened next was painful because my wife left me and my children lost their trust in their father, they got mad at me, especially when the 'Tokhang' list of illegal drug users came out and my name was there),” he said.
Bulatao noted that the Malasiqui Police, the local government unit (LGU) of this town - including the barangays officials, national government agencies and other non-government organizations - organized a community-based rehabilitation for the drug surrenderers, in which he decided to enlist.
The program included a series of counseling with the Malasiqui Association of Pastors in Action, regular monitoring by barangay officials and the police and training by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
“Maganda ang epekto sa akin ng ‘Tokhang’ kasi bumalik sa akin ang pamilya ko. Bumalik ang tiwala nila sa akin (Tokhang has good effect to me because my family returned to me. I also regained their trust),” Bulatao said.
He is currently employed as a teacher-trainer in a vocational school in the town and an active member of a Christian church.
“The best thing that happened to me when I was reformed from illegal drugs is when I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ. We may have different struggles, mine was illegal drugs back then, but these are all part of God’s plan for us to know Him,” Bulatao said.
Jimmy Tamsi, 32 years old, tricycle driver, a resident of Barangay Poblacion here and a father of three children, became addicted to illegal drugs when his wife left him.
“Nag-abroad po siya. Tapos hindi na siya tumatawag o kumokontak sa amin at nalaman ko na lang may iba na pala siya. Naengganyo ako ng mga kasama kong nagta-tricycle na gumamit ng ilegal na droga (My wife went to work abroad, then after some time, she stopped calling or contacting us and later on I learned that she has left me for another guy. I was enticed by my fellow tricycle drivers to use illegal drugs),” he said.
Tamsi recalled how he had neglected his responsibilities to his children due to his addiction and even sold some of his belongings just to sustain his vice.
“Nagbebenta ako ng mga gamit, tapos ang nanay ko ang nag-aalaga sa mga anak ko (I sold my things at home, and my mother took care of my children),” he said.
Tamsi said he was able to recover from his addiction with the help of Oplan Tokhang.
“I got scared for my life when I saw on the television the fate of those who did not change their ways,” he said.
Since he was reformed, Tamsi now spends time with his three children to his heal his broken heart.
“Nagpupunta kami sa mga mall, pasyal pasyal kami. Focus ko na lang sa mga anak ko para hindi ako malungkot at mag-drugs (We go the mall for entertainment. I am focusing now on my children, so that I will not be lonely and will not be into illegal drugs again),” Tamsi said.
Another drug surrenderer in this town, John Paul Cayabyab, 37 years old, admitted he used illegal drugs to boost his energy at work when he was employed as a bagger in a grocery store way back in 2007.
“Tinigil ko na nung mabalik ako dito sa Malasiqui. Kaya lang may nangyari kaya na-depress ako (I stopped using illegal drugs when I returned here in Malasiqui. But something happened that caused my depression),” he said.
According to Cayabyab, he got frustrated because he was not able to work abroad due to lack in finances.
“Pinauna munang mag-abroad ng mother ko ang kapatid ko, kaya parang na-depress ako kasi gusto ko talagang mag-abroad (My mother prioritized sending my brother to work abroad, so I was depressed because I really wanted to work abroad),” he said.
Cayabyab said his addiction to illegal drugs led him to steal from his mother and become estranged from his family, even his life partner and their child.
“Pero nung may Tokhang na, natakot ako. Bata pa ang anak ko eh at ayoko mamatay (But when Tokhang started, I became afraid. My child is still very young and I don’t want to die),” he disclosed.
Cayabyab now works as an aid at the Malasiqui Police Station and is taking a vocational course to prepare for his application to work abroad.
“Bumalik na tiwala ng pamilya ko. Nagkaayos na kami ng mother ko, at susuportahan daw nila ako ng kapatid ko para mag-abroad (I have regained their trust. My mother and I are now in good terms and they, including my brother, will support me in my goal to work abroad),” he said.
Meanwhile, 28-year-old Eliezer Aglugub of Barangay Poblacion, a basketball enthusiast, said, “I used illegal drugs before to give me strength as I play basketball”.
He admitted that in return for the strength he got from using illegal drugs, his overall health declined.
“So, now instead of taking illegal drugs, I practice healthy lifestyle for me to have the strength I needed in playing basketball,” Aglugub said. (PNA)
