𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐋 𝐓𝐎 𝐏𝐔𝐓 𝐔𝐏 𝐑𝐄𝐇𝐀𝐁 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐀𝐉𝐀𝐍
The Cebu Provincial Government is planning to establish its own treatment and rehabilitation facility in Pinamungajan to help address the increasing number of drug dependents seeking recovery services in the province.
During the second-quarter meeting of the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Commission (CPADAC), chaired by Gov. Pamela Baricuatro, officials identified the Capitol-run Dr. Jose Ma. V. Borromeo Memorial Hospital in Pinamungajan as the proposed site of the Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (TRC).
The facility, to be called the New Life Cebu Drug Rehabilitation Center, will cater exclusively to male clients and will initially accommodate 25 patients, with plans for future expansion.
In her report before CPADAC, Noelie Mae Yañez of the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Division (CPADAD) said the Department of Health-funded TRC in Argao served 1,038 male clients from 2021 to 2025, while the Cebu City TRC accommodated 240 female clients during the same period.
The figures, she said, underscored the need for an additional inpatient rehabilitation facility. Locating the center within the compound of the Capitol-run hospital in Pinamungajan would also give patients access to specialized treatment and immediate medical care.
“According to the data from TRCs in Argao and Cebu City, there is a need to establish an Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility since there are at least 50 clients on waiting list to be enrolled in the TRCs,” Yañez said.
Meanwhile, Argao RTC Judge May Faith Rebotiaco said she handles several cases involving accused persons applying for plea bargaining, some of whom are required to undergo inpatient rehabilitation as part of court proceedings, further boosting the need for the Capitol-run facility.
CPADAC also agreed to adopt the Therapeutic Community (TC) approach, a model recommended by both TRC Argao and TRC Cebu City for its cost-efficient system that allows clients to participate in daily activities such as cooking and cleaning, thereby reducing manpower requirements.
As part of preparations for the facility’s operation, the Capitol is also looking to hire qualified personnel who will manage and operate the rehabilitation center, such as a medical specialist, psychologist, nurses, and social welfare officers, among many others. | via Arvin Rus V. Tapangan and Ashdee Marie Fuentes
Check this also: Mainit Port in Oslob Inaugurated to Boost Southern Cebu Connectivity and Tourism
