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Mega drug rehab center in N. Ecija a 'mistake': DDB chief

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Trishia Billones, ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1448375" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><p>Building a large drug rehabilitation center that could accommodate up to 10,000 drug dependents in a military camp north of the capital was &quot;impractical&quot; and a &quot;mistake,&quot; the chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board said Wednesday.</p><p>Money for the Mega Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Nueva Ecija, a key project under President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s war on drugs built in partnership with <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/11/29/16/billionaire-builders-behind-dutertes-mega-drug-rehab"><strong>philanthropists</strong></a>, could have been used to fund smaller community-based rehabilitation programs, which will be &quot;more effective,&quot; said DDB Chairman Dionisio Santiago.</p><p>&quot;That was a mistake. Ang problema, naging excited si President. Yung ginasta doon, puwedeng ginamit sa mga community based rehab yun, malilit which can only accommodate siguro mga 150 to 200,&quot; he told ANC&#x27;s Headstart.</p><p>&quot;Masyadong malaki yung 5,000 (capacity). Saan ka kukuha niyan?&quot; he said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/29/16/tycoon-who-built-mega-drug-rehab-center-is-real-friend-duterte">Tycoon who built mega drug rehab center is real friend: Duterte</a></li></ul><p>The rehab facility, which has a maximum 10,000-bed capacity, was seen to help a lot of these surrenderers, but there were only 311 residents in its first phase as of June.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/28/17/rehab-in-the-time-of-drug-war">READ: Rehab in the time of drug war</a></li></ul><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/v2/11/30/16/what-to-see-at-phs-newest-mega-drug-rehab-facility">What to see at PH&#x27;s newest mega drug rehab facility</a></li></ul><p>Santiago, former head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, said admitting drug dependents to the treatment center must have been difficult because of its distance.</p><p>&quot;Saan mo panggagalingan yun? Yung iba taga-Batangas. Eh sa rehab, kailangan mo ng family support. Paano ka pupunta dun kung pamasahe lang sa loved ones mo, wala ka?&quot; he said.</p><p>He compared the situation of the drug dependents to overseas Filipino workers. &quot;Kaysa maghirap kayo dun, ayusin niyo ang kontrata dahil nag-iisa kayo dun, solo flight kayo, wala kayong support system. Kawawa kayo. Dito na lang kayo maghirap, may tutulong sa inyo.&quot;</p><p>Former Health Secretary Janet Paulyn Ubial earlier confirmed admitting drug dependents to the treatment center will not be easy as this should first be authorized by a court order to ensure that patients have no criminal liabilities.</p><p>Potential patients could come from other rehabilitation facilities or from among the hundreds of thousands of drug suspects who have surrendered to authorities.</p><p>Ubial said only 1 percent of those patients need residential rehabilitation while the rest only require outpatient or community-based rehabilitation.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/14/17/137-patients-staying-in-phs-largest-drug-rehab-center">137 patients staying in 10,000-bed drug rehab center</a></li></ul><p>The DDB earlier announced their new &quot;game plan&quot; in fighting illegal drugs in the country, putting prevention and rehabilitation as the main thrust in addressing the problem and hoping to change the narrative that anti-illegal drug operations leads to the loss of lives.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/30/17/ddb-game-plan-target-supply-and-demand-in-drug-war">READ: DDB game plan: Target supply and demand in drug war</a></li></ul><p>Santiago said they had submitted the campaign proposal to Malacañang around August or September and is already in the office of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_2_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_2" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1448365" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><p>The DDB chief said he is hopeful the President will approve it, noting that it balances the current anti-narcotics drive and will show that the Chief Executive &quot;has a heart.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We just would like to show to the people that actually, hindi puro law enforcement itong anti-drug campaign. We want to show that it has been a balanced approach,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;It is now more aligned with the social reform agenda of the president, sa national security strategy agenda. Dito, we want to show na yung social reform, kasama ang anti-poverty,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>Building a large drug rehabilitation center that could accommodate up to 10,000 drug dependents in a military camp north of the capital was "impractical" and a "mistake," the chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board said Wednesday.</p>

Building a large drug rehabilitation center that could accommodate up to 10,000 drug dependents in a military camp north of the capital was "impractical" and a "mistake," the chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board said Wednesday.

Mega drug rehab center in N. Ecija a 'mistake': DDB chief

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Mega drug rehab center in N. Ecija a 'mistake': DDB chief

Trishia Billones,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 01, 2017 09:38 AM PHT

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Updated Nov 01, 2017 10:51 AM PHT

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Dangerous Drugs Board

Dionisio Santiago

war on drugs

rehabilitation

drug rehabilitation

Nueva Ecija

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