MANILA, Philippines – A total of 231 drug-addicted residents of Makati City were sent to various rehabilitation facilities last year, the Makati Anti Drug Abuse Council (MADAC) reported yesterday.
In a report to Mayor Romulo Peña, MADAC officer-in-charge Jaime Santos said the drug dependents were sent for treatment and rehabilitation at private and government-run rehabilitation centers in Taguig, Tagaytay, Pampanga, Antipolo, Pasig, Laguna and Mandaluyong.
According to MADAC, the city government of Makati subsidized the cost of drug rehabilitation for residents who could afford the treatment while indigent drug dependents are treated for free.
MADAC also reported that it had provided counseling to 123 patients last year through its social workers.
Peña lauded MADAC for its efforts to promote drug-free communities in Makati.
“The city government takes pride in the many achievements of MADAC, including national recognition as the country’s best anti-drug body at the city level. Through their intervention, many young people have been prevented from ruining their lives irreversibly with drug abuse,” Peña said.
In curbing illegal drug use in Makati, MADAC made use of home visits, socialization meetings with patients at the rehabilitation site, group therapy sessions for recovering and recovered drug dependents, daily counseling for students and patients, livelihood training for recovered and recovering dependents and semi-annual meetings with barangay officials on treatment and rehabilitation concerns.