Over 1,500 Drug Surrenderees Finish Rehab Program

At least 1,590 drug surrenderees in this province, have successfully completed the government-initiated community-based rehabilitation program, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Louela Tomas, PDEA information officer, said the surrenderees who completed the rehabilitation program are now ready to reintegrate into the community and to live a meaningful and productive lives.

“We will continue to monitor these reformed surrenderees even if they have already graduated from the drug rehabilitation program,” Tomas said.

She added that PDEA, in cooperation with the Department of Health (DOH) and other concerned government agencies, continues to assist different local government units in their efforts to rehabilitate drug surrenderees.

Since the government started its intensified campaign against illegal drugs, at least 10,000 drugs users and pushers in the province surrendered themselves to authorities.

Based on PDEA records, of the 820 barangays in Cagayan, 648 were drug-affected while only 22 were declared as drug-cleared by the regional oversight committee. (ALM/OTB/PIA-2 Cagayan)