DAVAO CITY\u2014Mayor Sara Duterte, the President\u2019s daughter, sought to assure drug users here that the city government\u2019s priority is still their rehabilitation amid a growing number of casualties in her father\u2019s war on drugs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI assure you that the city government will always give priority to intervention programs and initiatives for the rehabilitation of citizens who are using drugs,\u201d said Sara, in a statement read for her by her chief of staff, Raul Nadela, during the 14th anniversary of the Davao City Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents (DCTRCDD).<\/p>\n
\u201cHelp us help you,\u201d said Sara\u2019s statement, which was noticeable for being in stark contrast with statements made by her father who had repeatedly warned that his war on drugs would be very bloody.<\/p>\n
Mr. Duterte had once described users of shabu as hopeless, saying use of the drug shrinks the brain and turns the user into a \u201czombie.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tough talk<\/p>\n
Sara, in her statement, said all that a user needed to do is have the desire to reform to be able to avail himself of help from the city government.<\/p>\n
The mayor has been shunning public appearance due to a delicate pregnancy. She is now expecting a child after losing two of the triplets she was carrying in September.<\/p>\n
She urged wards at the DCTRCDD to seize the chance to overcome drug dependence by being resolute in their desire to reform.<\/p>\n
Through DCTRCDD, she said she hoped wards now at the center, at least 110, would \u201covercome this problem, live a life away from drugs and reunite with families who truly love and care for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sara also urged parents of wards at the center to help, too. \u201cWe need your help so they do not relapse and their stay here won\u2019t be wasted,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
She said she wants users to \u201creturn to society not just as proactive citizens but also as individuals enthusiastic about life, pursuing their dreams and contributing to nation-building and development.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perla Redulosa, DCTRCDD assistant manager, said the center could now accept more wards after the completion of a new building that cost P6.6 million. It was funded by the Dangerous Drugs Board.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is home away from home,\u201d Redulosa said. \u2014ALLAN NAWAL<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" DAVAO CITY\u2014Mayor Sara Duterte, the President\u2019s daughter, sought to assure drug users here that the city government\u2019s priority is still their rehabilitation amid a growing number of casualties in her father\u2019s war on drugs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":814315,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,45],"tags":[4108,182619],"byline":[],"source":[206078],"column":[],"editor":[170633],"videographer":[],"position":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n