(File photo of the RadyoInquirer, courtesy of the Quezon City Police District)

MANILA, Philippines — A judge advocating for the welfare of individuals previously involved with illegal drugs is urging the national government to institutionalize the integration of livelihood programs into drug rehabilitation. 

Judge Maria Sophia Solidum-Taylor, presiding judge of Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) 31, made the call as she stressed the need for a whole-of-nation approach to help those facing drug-related cases return as productive members of society.

“We would like to call on the national government to institutionalize livelihood programs nationwide and to help local governments institutionalize the same for our drug offenders,” Taylor said during the launching of livelihood initiatives for former detainees linked with illegal drugs.

“We also call the Congress to enact laws on livelihood to help drug offenders,” she added.

Under the project for drug offenders undergoing drug rehabilitation program,  Solidum – Taylor said food carts will be awarded to former detainees who wish to break out of the drug use cycle and earn a decent living.

She likewise expressed hope that RTCs nationwide would be involved with the project as she turned over a food cart to one of the program’s participants.

“Our goal is to create public awareness that engaging in community-based drug rehab programs, counseling, or even in-house rehab programs could never be enough,” the judge said.

Citing Professor Regina Hechanova, one of the authors of the Katatagan Kontra Droga sa Komunidad (KKDK) manual — one of the materials they used for community-based rehabilitation and counseling programs — Taylor said that “it takes a village to change a man.”

“And we are the village; we have to help drug offenders rebuild their lives and reintegrate them back as productive members of society,” she said.