DSWD’s ‘Yakap Bayan’ Program Helps Recovering Drug Users

ONE STEP AT A TIME. The road to full recovery may be long, but drug dependents who surrendered since the Duterte administration began are taking it step-by-step. This is made possible by the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) “Yakap-Bayan” program.

The program has spread to various parts of the Caraga region, helping provide support and treatment to drug surrenderers, according to DSWD 13 Regional Director Mita Chuchi G. Lim.

In a nutshell, “Yakap-Bayan” offers assistance to drug surrenderers, helping them be embraced by the society again by turning them into volunteers, advocates, and community leaders.

Lim said that the program’s strategy has already seen success in transforming a number of drug surrenders in other regions in the country, which includes the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

Last month, the first batch of the program was completed. DSWD Assistant Secretary for Special Concerns Jose Antonio R. Hernandez has conducted the orientation that was attended by members of the Regional Technical Working Group (RTWG) on Reintegration and Rehabilitation Cluster (RRC), Local Social Welfare and Development Officers, Health Officers, representatives from the Local Anti-Illegal Drug Council, and the DSWD-Caraga Region 13 staff.

The orientation’s objective was to help guide frontline workers when it comes to providing sustainable rehabilitation, aftercare, and reintegration support services to the drug surrenderers. Members of the RTWG-RRC and local government units helped out, too, by sharing accomplishments and teaching best practices on assisting former drug users.

“We will cascade this Yakap-Bayan program in other provinces and cities in the region,” Director Lim said.

With regards to the Executive Order No.15 issued by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on March 6, 2017, the creation of an Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) and Anti-illegal Drug Task Force is mandated to address the drug problem in the country, which is in accordance to Republic Act 9165 also known as Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002.

Agencies are clustered into four under the EO: Enforcement Cluster, Justice Cluster, Advocacy Cluster, and Rehabilitation and Reintegration Cluster. The DSWD is part of the Rehabilitation and Reintegration Cluster.

via Manila Bulletin / Mike Crismundo