Incoming president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. and outgoing Senate President Vicente Sotto III recently talked about the latter’s proposal for drug rehabilitation.

Sotto is a principal author of the Republic Act (RA) 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. RA 9165 instituted the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the implementing arm of the Dangerous Drugs Board and the agency which focuses on preventing, investigating, and combating dangerous drugs and related illegal activities.

Sotto verified that he delivered his “Drug Abuse Prevention and Correct Rehabilitation” program to Marcos upon the latter’s invitation on May 28.

In a Viber message to the Philippine News Agency, Sotto said that he can work with Marcos in a “consultative” capacity.

“Consultative would be enough, I suppose. PBBM supports my proposal of giving strong support for drug abuse prevention and rehabilitation,” Sotto said. 

According to Sotto, his program seeks to provide a resistance education program for fifth to seventh graders. 

Sotto said that seminars, programs, and conferences with parents, teachers, media, the Church, sports personalities, and the general public will also be in place.

Sotto explained that a correct rehabilitation program blends types of approaches—therapeutic, faith-based, and multidisciplinary activities—suitable for drug dependents. The approach is influenced by the Minnesota Model of addiction treatment.

Initially used in a US state mental hospital in the 1950s, the 12-step Minnesota Model focuses on abstinence from illegal substances as a management approach. Its treatment is individualized to address a patient’s specific issues on addiction.

Marcos earlier expressed his plans to continue the outgoing administration’s existing anti-drug campaign in a different way—focusing more on prevention and educating the youth, and improving and modernizing rehabilitation centers.

Photo Credit: Facebook/TeamTitoSotto