• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Bacolod City is the latest local government unit to join the Yakap Bayan, or aftercare program for Recovering Persons Who Use Drugs (RPWUDs) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Mayor Alfredo Benitez led the signing of the Yakap Bayan memorandum of agreement (MOA) at the Bacolod Government Center lobby Sept. 5, with Atty. Carmelo Nochete, DSWD6 director, witnessed by Col. Joeresty Coronica – Bacolod City Police Office director, city and DSWD officials, and other stakeholders.
Benitez said “one of the reasons we signed this MOA is to ensure that national agencies as well as local governments are synchronized in their campaign against drug problems.”
“This requires collaboration from everyone,” the mayor added in a statement, and called on everyone to “all pitch in so we can address this major issue. This is just the first step.”
Councilor Pao Sy, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Fire, Social Defense and Natural Disasters, who endorsed the proposed MOA to the Office of the Mayor, said “this whole-of-nation approach focusing on multi-dimensional intervention is crucial and timely, to address the increasing rate of relapse among the RPWUDS, who were endorsed from the Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Program of the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council to the Aftercare and Reintegration under the Department of Social Services and Development.”
The MOA would ensure a comprehensive technical assistance and augmentation of resources to empower the LGU in establishing and effectively implementing this vital drug recovery program, the DSWD said.
Under the MOA, the city government commits to provide funds for the program institutionalization, create multi-disciplinary teams at the LGU level, include the implementation of the Yakap Bayan program in its annual investment plan, champion the program to Bacolodnons;
Establish and strengthen the local ADAC, ensure that the Barangay Anti-Drug Plan of Action is embedded in the Barangay Peace and Order and Public Safety Plan; and integrate programs and activities that promote support to RPWUDs, among others.
The DSWD said that more than 130 LGUs nationwide signed the MOA for the implementation of this reintegration intervention strategy for rehabilitated RPWUDs. The program entails the provision of aftercare services, such as relapse prevention sessions, counselling sessions, health and fitness therapy, spiritual interventions, and skills training, among others, to improve the well-being and social functioning of RPWUDs.
With illegal drugs remaining a threat to the development of the sectors that DSWD serves, the agency continues to exert all efforts to ensure the institutionalization of the program in all LGUs.
The Yakap Bayan Program is anchored on the paradigm that drug use and/or abuse is not only a health issue, but it bears social, safety and security consequences, hence, it requires a whole-of-LGU and nation approach, integrating existing government and non-government services, the MOA states. | CGC
