DRUG REHAB GRADUATES. Photo shows some of the 120 former drug personalities who have graduated at the “Bahay Pangarap” drug rehabilitation center in Kidapawan City. The center got a much-needed boost with the scheduled opening of its non-residential rehab center building on Aug. 14, 2019, with Dangerous Drugs Board Chairman, Secretary Catalino Cuy as the special guest. (File photo courtesy of Kidapawan CIO)
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Chairman, Secretary Catalino Cuy is set to lead the opening of an additional building in this city’s non-residential drug rehabilitation center on Aug. 14, the local chief executive here said.
“The DDB chief will be in attendance when the non-residential drug rehabilitation center in Barangay Sudapin would open on August 14 in time for the city’s celebration of the Timpupo Festival,” Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista said during a huddle with newsmen here Saturday.
The Timpupo (a Manobo word for abundant harvest) is the city’s annual fruit festival that features an “eat fruits all you can” event for locals and visitors alike in time for this year’s celebration of the locality’s 72nd foundation anniversary from August 14-18.
The DDB has earlier extended a PHP5-million donation for the new rehabilitation building which forms part of the city’s “Balik Pangarap”, a comprehensive rehabilitation program for former drug dependents who have decided to quit for good the use of illegal drugs and start a new life.
More than 120 former drug personalities have so far graduated from the program and are now living normal and productive lives.
Cuy has lauded the city government for the rehabilitation program and has expressed his full support to the operation of the new facility.
Evangelista said representatives of the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America based in Dallas, Texas, are also coming over for a study tour on how the rehabilitation center is being managed. (PNA)
