Japan eyes funding rehab center in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The Japanese government is pouring money into a state-of-the-art drug rehabilitation center for the care of the increasing number of drug surrenderers who want to reform and rejoin mainstream society.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan confirmed the Japanese government is looking for a three-hectare lot in the city for the rehabilitation center.

He has already met with Health Undersecretary Henry Tong-an and officials of the regional health department who informed him of the plan of the Japan government to bankroll the construction of a drug rehabilitation center primarily catering to the needs of the drug surrenderers in the city and the Cordillera region.

Domogan, however, pushed national and regional officials to request the representatives of the Japanese government to visit the city and inspect the city’s available land, particularly in Sto. Tomas Apugan, where its 139-hectare property is located.

The development of the area will entail a huge amount of money because the road that needs to be built to access the area is initially estimated at P200 million, the City Engineering Office.

“We suggested to Undersecretary Tong-an if the city’s available land holdings will not qualify based on the standards of the Japan government, it would be best to recommend to the funding agency that the proposed drug rehabilitation center be located even outside the city where there can be suitable areas, so that the center will not be transferred outside the region,” Domogan said.

The Japanese government's plan to fund the construction of a drug rehabilitation center in the city is a welcome development because it would greatly help address concerns on how to help drug-dependent residents reintegrate into society.

The City Social Welfare and Development Office and the private sector have partnered to work out the initial rehabilitation of the growing number of drug surrenderers in the city but the local government believes there is a need for a drug rehabilitation center to treat drug dependent residents.

Drug surrenderers who want to enter a rehabilitation program find it difficult to Dagupan City in Pangasinan where the nearest center is.

Domogan said the city is willing to coordinate with neighboring towns of Benguet that could offer land if the city’s property in Sto. Tomas Apugan will not pass the standards of the Japanese government.