Decline in drug rehab enrollees

Our very own’s community drug rehabilitation and aftercare program dubbed as Tabangan Atong Reformist Aron Naa’y Asenso (Tara Na!) has registered a significant decrease of enrollees from 3,895 down to 2,069.

An initiative of Davao City’s Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Cadac), Tara Na! is designed to provide support for the rehabilitation of suspected drug users or pushers who earlier surrendered to authorities here and were given livelihood training to prepare them for possible employment.

But what happened to the 1,826 who initially enrolled in the program but have dropped out?

CBRAP Director Concepcion Domag, during a press conference held at the Royal Mandaya Hotel on May 2, identified some of the factors for the decline.

“Some of the factors that we have identified are the lack of support from the barangays because reformists need support like the logistics. Other factor also is the motivation. They need to be motivated to continue the program,” she said.

She also said that they are asking for the support of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in tracking down those who dropped out to encourage them to return to the rehabilitation program.

It takes a village to bring back the illegal drug pushers and users to the right path, to make them become productive again.

The barangays can only do so much. The logistics support the surrenderers need can only go far if the community gives its support as well.

The police’s support and encouragement for the surrenderers to go back to the rehabilitation program is as significant as any support the latter can receive.

However, the most vital support the surrenderers need is their families’ encouragement and willingness for them to undergo the rehab program.

No matter how the whole village pushes for them to undergo the program, if the surrenderers themselves are not willing to go through it, then all will be useless.