MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has launched a program that will train drug surrenderees as rescue workers.
Dubbed as “Yakap Bayan,” Secretary Judy Taguiwalo said the rehabilitation and reintegration program is aimed at creating community leaders out of former drug dependents.
Under the program, drug surrenderees will be “rehabilitated, empowered and reintegrated into their communities as well as trained to help assist their communities during disasters.”
“Former drug dependents will be used...to strengthen the response capacity of communities during disasters. This way, we give them a sense of responsibility and belonging,” said Taguiwalo.
She said the program is seen to erase the stigma attached to former drug dependents.
Taguiwalo said Yakap Bayan would be implemented in phases with the first six months intended for rehabilitation.
After six months, interventions for the reintegration phase, which will take around 18 months, will start, including skills training for livelihood as well as capacity building on disaster response.
“The war against drugs is not just a war to eliminate illegal drugs, but also to help drug dependents change and turn a new leaf in their lives,” said Taguiwalo.