Clark Freeport – Some 129, 217 drug users and pushers surrendered in Central Luzon since President Rodrigo Roa Duterte assumed the presidency in July last year up to January, this year.
The figure was announced by Dr. Benjamin Reyes, chair of the Dangerous Drug Board (DDB) during the recently held conference at Royce Hotel here where in Reyes also added that sudden increase of drug surrenderers that reached up to 4.8 million in the whole country could reach up to 5.2 million in the years to come.
Bulacan leads the number of drug surrenderers with a total of 37, 266, followed by Nueva Ecija with 27, 552; Pampanga, 22,479; Tarlac, 15,329; Zambales, 8,025; Bataan, 9,911; Aurora, 3,356; Angeles, 3,107 and Olongapo with 2,192.
However, Pampanga Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda intends to verify the authenticity of the report released by DDB by coordinating with the barangay anti-drugs council to tally the entirety of drug surrenderers in the province.
It was also revealed that P55.8 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrocloride was confiscated in 2016.
With these wins on war against dangerous drugs, Reyes stressed that the Duterte administration is determined to implement community-based rehabilitation, after care program and conduct drug testing at DOH accredited drug -testing laboratories to help for the treatment, rehabilitation and recovery of surrenderers.
DOH Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial said the anti-dangerous drug summit is aimed at further strengthening the strategies of local government units while acknowledging the proper handling of surrenderers imparted by the national agencies.
“ Currently, there are group-dynamic activities, pyscho-educational lectures and meditations presently offered at the Mega Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (MEGA-DARTC) in Palayan Nueva Ecija,” the secretary said.
She added that some 705 local government health sectors composed of doctors, nurses, district medical officers and others were trained in screening and assessing drug users in the region.