HIGH NUMBER OF DRUG SURRENDERERS IN SELECTED BARANGAYS OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF MAHAYAG,

According to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)’s report on May 2017, there are 4.7 million drug personalities in the country, the highest figure cited by the administration since launching the drug war last July 2016. Considering the withdrawal symptoms an addict can experience after abrupt caseation of drug usage without any medical interventions and insufficient drive to stop, he/she will undoubtedly shift back to the older practice. This has then resulted to a sudden increased number of substance abusers in the Philippines even after the drug war was implemented by President Rodrigo Duterte. The concept of stigma describes the powerful, negative perceptions commonly associated with substance abuse and addiction. It has the potential to negatively affect a person’s self-esteem, damage relationships with loved ones, and prevent those suffering from addiction from accessing treatment.In combination with the lack of knowledge, lesser and lesser people will admit seek medical attention for proper way of recovering. With unavailable rehabilitation activities, abusers can disregard the opportunity to change and be better tomorrow. Crimes will increase again, productivity of a responsible countryman will be compromised and resistance against infections will degrade. Diseases such as blood-borne infections from injected needles used by drug users; liver disease from alcoholic drinkers; and lung disease from smokers will upsurge sooner or later.

Screening: Drug Dependency Examination

As adopted from the Dangerous Drugs Board (2016), a Community-Based Treatment and Rehabilitation Resourcesis a strategy that can be used in managing substance abusers. This will help the Local Government Unit and Non-government Organizations, such us the ADZU-SOM, plan for activities needed for the improvement of the well-being of not only the substance abusers but also their family and the people surrounding them. Applying the medical method of handling problems, assessment is the first step. Assessing and screening the known and suspected substance userswith the WHO ASSIST (Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test) will be used to increase the case detection rate in the community. This will be done by a DDB accredited physician who will be determining the people who are high, medium and low risk. High risk patients will be referred to a DOH accredited rehabilitation center, while the medium and low risk will be managed with the advised community-based activities. Health and psycho-education will be done by a guest speaker from the DOH or DDB and an employment support will supplement the workshop. To prevent relapses, a strict biannual monitoring of the known substance abusers will be done by the BADAC (Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council). Lectures on how a family or a community member will prevent relapse will also be done, equipping them with the sufficient knowledge to control and manage household and community member.

Sustainability

From the time we have started to organize a program, we already thought of the end. We need to anticipate the problems that will arise and how our programs will be of impact to the lives of our community people. We need to empower and build the leadership in them to continue what we have started. A KBPWA (Kapit Bisig Para Walan nang Adik) core group of substance abusers will be established at the start of the program so that they will spearhead most of the attention-deviating activities that they will decide to have during the “Drug Abuse Prevention and Control (DAPC) Week”. This will be assisted by the BADAC (Barangay Anti-drug Abuse Council) that is also a recognized committee by the barangay. Ordinance on the Mandatory Drug Testing will be passed to the Barangay Council to ensure continuous improvements among previously substance abusers

General Objective

Cues

To improve vaccination and registration status of owned dogs from 30% to 90% in Barangay San Jose, Mahayag by the year 2019.

IMPLEMENTED

A grand total of four hundred eight (408) drug surrenderers from the 5 barangays of the Municipality of Mahayag.
Twenty-nine (7%) were drug pushers. Three hundred seventy-nine (93%) were drug users.
Five female (1%) and four hundred three (99%) male.
Eight (2%) people who are <18 years old, three hundred fifty-one (86%) surrenderers ages 18-40 years old; and forty-nine (12%) people who are 41- 65 years old.
No drug surrenderer was classified according to their substance-use risk with ASSIST
BADAC members were not trained to use the ASSIST. ➢ No drug surrenderer has attended a Recovery and Wellness Program or any rehabilitation program

Updated Cues

The total drug surrenderers since 2017 to 2020 was 408. No new surrenderer recorded.
Thirty drug surrenderers were randomly selected and were classified according to their substance-use risk. There were 23 (77%) low-risk substance user, and 7 (23%) moderate-risk substance user.
Forty BADAC officials were trained to use the ASSIST questionnaire. Thirty-five (88%) showed satisfactory result in their return demonstration. The other 5 (12%) officials passed the test after the second try.
Two hundred ninety-eight surrenderers from the 5 barangays undergone HOPE-RWP
- All (298 out of 298) drug surrenderers who attended the RWP has revealed negative drug results.
DOH IEC materials on substance use, HIV and smoking were distributed in Barangay San Jose. ➢ Health teachings were conducted to different groups in the barangays ➢ The municipality celebrates the DAPC week with the following activities:
- Revival of “Barkada Kontra Droga” through a team building activity among the youth leaders from the 4 National High Schools.
- Slogans made by BKD youth leaders were posted to spread awareness
- There were 12 barangays who participated in the “Liga Kontra Droga” friendly basketball tournament with 203 attendees.
- All (30 out of 30) randomly chosen drug surrenderers yielded a negative drug result.
- Ten barangay captains have attended the orientation on available Employment Programs of TESDA, PESO and Negosyo Center
There were 185 applicants from 6 barangays applied for TESDA livelihood programs that will be conducted on March 28, 20202
The group has been coordinating with the Office of the Mayor, Davis Painting Company and BKD youth leaders to paint an Anti-drug Mural on the municipal gym wall to be held on April 4, 2020.