SAN SIMON -- All 73 residents of the Bahay Pagbabago ni Apung Pilar who underwent a drug rehabilitation program have tested negative for illegal drugs.
This was the result of a surprise drug test conducted by the Municipal Health Office in coordination with the local police as part of the send-off assessment program.
Police Officer (PO) 2 Mary Jane Genobili said that the 73 reformed drug dependents comprise the third batch of surrenderers who entered the reformation center last September.
She said the results showed that the surrenderers had abstained from illegal drugs use during their month-long stay in the Bahay Pagbabago, where they underwent several activities such as moral recovery, spiritual upliftment and livelihood trainings, among others.
Genobili said a month of total abstinence is considered a major take-off for drug dependents who wanted to recover.
Due to the affirmative results of the drug test, Genobili said that the third batch of drug surrenderers are all candidates for graduation from the reformation program.
She said the 73 reformed drug dependents were ready to reintegrate into the society and start new and productive lives.
"The livelihood trainings inside the reformation center may help them in raising their families and having a worthwile activity everyday," Genebili added.
The local government headed by Mayor Leonora Wong vowed to provide livelihood to the graduates.
Wong said the local government is also open to employing them.
The 73 are among the 1,048 drug surrenderers in San Simon under the Philippine National Police Oplan Tokhang program.
The first and second batches were composed of a total of 97 surrenderers who have completed the rehabilitation program at the Bahay Pagbabago.
