THE national government is ramping up by 35 percent to P2.7 billion the spending for public residential drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation centers (DATRCs), in a bid to address overcrowding and boost public access, Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr., vice chairperson of the House committee on appropriations, said on Thursday.
“The government will spend up to P2.7 billion in 2025 to sustain the operations and augment the beds of DATRCs under the Department of Health (DOH). The sum is P700 million higher than this year’s P2-billion allocation,” Campos said.
Campos made the statement ahead of the nation’s observance of Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week from November 17 to 23.
The third week of November of every year is dedicated to raising public awareness against the devastating effects of drug abuse on individuals, families, and society, pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 124 issued on November 26, 2001.
“The 35 percent increase in the funding for DATRCs is consistent with the government’s strategy to simultaneously fight both the demand and supply sides of the drug problem,” Campos said.
“We must keep under control the demand side by providing adequate treatment and rehabilitation services to drug dependents, while suppressing the supply side by putting traffickers and pushers behind bars,” Campos added.
Under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Law, a drug dependent may, by himself/herself or through a parent, spouse, guardian or relative within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, voluntarily apply for admission to a DOH-run DATRC.
The law also provides that a person arrested, and who is found positive for illegal drug use, after a confirmatory test, faces the minimum penalty of six months compulsory rehabilitation in a DATRC.
The DOH currently operates 23 DATRCs across the country.
Campos said the funding for DATRCs in 2025 includes P916 million in new capital outlay to enable 15 of them to increase their beds so that they can accommodate more drug dependents seeking treatment.|-pr
