Board Member Rejects Plan to Use Youth Home as Drug Rehab Center
A top provincial official has rejected a proposal to convert the Bohol Youth Home in Cortes town into a drug rehabilitation center, citing issues about mixing children with adult shabu abusers.
Board Member Tomas Abapo, chair of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Peace and Order and Safety, said the youth home is intended for juveniles who are without families or homes and have had run-ins with the law, known as Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL).
Abapo argued that it would be improper to house adult individuals who have struggled with substance abuse alongside these vulnerable children.
Instead, he pointed out the need for a separate facility dedicated to drug rehabilitation for persons who use drugs (PWUD).
BM Abapo noted that CICL and PWUD require distinct approaches and treatment, necessitating the establishment of separate facilities to address their unique needs.
Abapo’s committee has proposed the creation of a task force focused on drug rehabilitation programs, which could pave the way for the establishment of a dedicated drug rehabilitation center in Bohol.
He hinted that an ordinance may be forthcoming to formalize the plan.
The move aims to provide a more effective and targeted approach to addressing illega drugs abuse and rehabilitation in the province.