Feature: NODRC - A Haven of Hope

The Negros Occidental Drug Rehabilitation Center (NODRC) situated beside the Camp General Aniceto Lacson in Victorias City has become a HAVEN OF HOPE for

drug dependents in the province.

NDB with NODRC STAFF (l-r) Dr. Ernesto Palanca, Pert Toga, W. Henry O. Streegan, Jolly Grace Deocadez and Juvy Pepello.*

At the helm of the Foundation is its Executive Director Dr. Ernesto A. Palanca with Ms. Juvy A. Pepello as its center administrator.

The members of the Board of Directors are Dr. Rhoel Mogul, president; Atty. Lily Rendon, vice president; Engr. Jonathan Genovea, secretary and Dominador Bingco, treasurer.

Directors are; NDB’s Ruperto G. Toga, Retired Judge Emma Labayen and Mrs. Ma. Aurora Estacio.

The Center has fourteen staff members who have been trained and have proven to be effective drug rehab workers.

The Foundation was officially launched in 2002 and since then has established an excellent track record which led to its accreditation by the Dangerous Drugs Board. There are 36 other centers in the country which have also been duly recognized and accredited.

The Negros Occ. Drug Rehab Center

The Center is housed in a sprawling building compound which has several annexes.

Since its many drug dependents have already been rehabilitated, they are now responsible citizens of the province.

Dr. Palanca’s motto is: "We teach the mind, touch the hearts and transform lives." He avers that at the center of its rehabilitation program is developing in the former drug dependents, faith and love of God. The Center will host the "LIFE SKILLS TRAINING ON SUBSTANCE PREVENTION PROGRAM OF THE SK FEDERATION OF VICTORIAS CITY" in June, this year which will be funded by the Dangerous Drugs Board and to be held at the Center.

Experts in this field have been tapped from Metro Manila and several parts of the country who will also help in facilitating this 3-day seminar-workshop. The project’s beneficiaries are members of the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation of Victorias City.

The rationale of this activity is that the youth have been highly en-couraged to participate in politics and governance and the Philippine government is the only nation in the world which has a mechanism of involving the youth sector in governance. This is in response to the United Nations’ Convention on the rights of children to create an avenue wherein they can engage and represent their sector towards active participation in the affairs of the government and in the country as a whole.

The organizers believe that the SK Federation is the most cohesive body that has the voice to encourage the youth to be drug-free, in order for them to become strong and confident in propagating a clean and drug-free community there is a need to enhance their skills and to teach them techniques of facilitating as well as coaching them cognitive and behavioral skills that the youth will fully understand the ill effects of drugs.

Drug Prevention education in the form of seminars is an effective and proactive means to counter the problem of drug addiction that has beset our communities. No doubt, exposure to dangerous drugs usually heightens during high school days wherein peer influence combined with curiosity is very powerful. It’s high time that we need to spread in our province a culture that upholds the demand reduction side of the campaign against dangerous drugs.

The Negros Occidental Drug Rehabilitation Foundation takes an expanded role in the Dangerous Drugs Board demand reduction side of the campaign. Thus, comprehensive life skills on drug prevention education seminars for the SK Federation of the 26 barangays in Victorian City, Negros Occidental is badly needed. Thus, this proposal is presented for approval and funding.

Its objectives are that, the proposed project hopes to enhance the skills and abilities of the 4K Federation key persons in coating drug problems in their sphere of influence. Specifically, it hopes to accomplish the following:

a) To familiarize the participants with the life skills needed to combat the drug menace in their own community;

b) To enhance their skills and confidence in the implementation of a drug free movement in the community;

c) To be able to create a core group named, "Barkada Kontra Droga" to effectively work together in the realization of the comprehensive drug abuse prevention education program;

d) To build a community of friends among the Sangguni-ang Kabataan of the 26 barangays of Victorias City; and

e) To become responsible citizens towards his own family, community and society, in general.

The proposed project is specifically known as LIFE SKILLS TRAINING ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM OF THE SK FEDERATION OF VICTORIAS CITY. There will be 50 participants who will join the 3-day seminar-workshop.

Dr. Palanca opines that undertakings of this nature needs the total cooperation of the local and national government, an well as civic and religious organization, and more importantly the citizenry as a whole.

Ms. Juvy A. Pepello, administrator of the Center reported during a TV interview that since 2003, when the Foundation became operational, they have already treated over 400 drug dependents where their degree of success has been 80%.

That the main reasons behind drug addiction, especially among the youth is parental neglect and peer pressure. Dr. Palanca avers that they hope to achieve success in preventing the youth from substance abuse after the seminar-workshop as one of the goals of the activity is to develop more awareness among the youth of Victorias City as well as among the parents, schools and the general public.*