Las Pinas Opens Its Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center

The Department of Health (DOH), together with Senator Cynthia A. Villar, inaugurated the Las Piñas Drug Abuse and Treatment Rehabilitation Center today in  response to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s call to prioritize and synergize efforts to stop drug addiction.

There is a huge gap between drug dependents and treatment facilities thus the need to establish more state-run treatment centers for substance abuse. According to the Dangerous Drug Board (DDB), there are about 1.3 million drug dependents in the country. While 600,000 have surrendered to authorities, the total number of beds in government and private drug rehabilitation centers is only 3,216.

The Rehabilitation Center, with an area of 2,735 square meters and target bed capacity of 300, will address the high influx of surrenderers and help in the process of rehabilitation and reintegration through the effective alignment of services and programs at the community level.

Together with the Department of Interior and Local Government and the DDB, DOH shares the responsibility in creating better communities where drug users are treated and rehabilitated.

“It is important that we sustain the momentum we have established. The DOH is working closely with government agencies and other stakeholders to strengthen our substance abuse prevention and treatment programs to ensure that we leave no one behind,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III, concluded. (DOH PR)