Addressing drug dependency upholds the right to health of former drug users. It is also in line with restorative justice as it endeavors to ensure the genuine recovery of former drug dependents so they may return to dignified, productive life.

The creation of the Regional Technical Working Group (TWG) for the Implementation of Aftercare, Reintegration, and Transformation Support for Recovering Drug Dependents by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region X is a commendable effort that demonstrates a rights-based approach in tackling the illegal drug problem.

The TWG is an interagency body that include the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Commission on Higher Education, Department of Education, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Justice-Parole and Probation Administration among others. As part of the DSWD’s initiatives to contribute to the campaign against illegal drugs, the TWG shall employ convergent efforts in the rehabilitation and reintegration of the Recovering Persons Who Used Drugs (RPWUDs) in the region.

CHR recognizes the DSWD – Region X’s complementary efforts that focuses on rehabilitation and incorporates sustained support to truly restore the well-being of RPWUDs. We hope that the TWG will also look into the socio-economic, health, and psychological issues surrounding this complex problem to ensure sustainable and long-term solutions for the those affected by it and their communities.

The Commission has always advocated for a holistic strategy compliant with international human rights standards, and prioritizes health, rehabilitation, and poverty alleviation issues. We are hopeful that this initiative will propel the momentum for policy shift in the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign. ###