Samar town transforms drug users into productive citizens

CALBIGA, Samar, April 12 (PNA) – The local police here have been actively engaging the 165 drug surrenderees in livelihood activities and community service projects in a bid to wean them off from illegal drugs.

Town police chief Sr. Insp. Bobby Montaño said that with the very limited resources, they were prompted to think of ways to help self-confessed drug personalities to renew their lives.

Drug personalities who yielded themselves to authorities since last year were formed into an organization named “Calbiga Susugpo sa Droga” or Casuda, which means "town suppresses illegal drugs."

“This is an innovation of the local police with the help of the municipal government to sustain the cooperation of surrenderees in the campaign against illegal-drugs,” Montaño said on Tuesday. 

The police official believes that total recovery from drug dependency is possible for as long as victims are provided with the proper support system. 

For livelihood, Casuda members have been engaged in vegetable farming and tilapia raising. The group earns PHP3,000 every harvest this year for eggplant alone. 

“I told them during our first meeting that I wanted to change the perception of people about them. I want them to show to the people that they can change and they are willing to change,” Montaño added. 

The local government allows the group to manage and maintain the pay toilet at the town’s public market. The group has been earning at least PHP400 daily. 

Montaño said they have been developing a sauce made out of vinegar as an addition to the existing livelihood of Casuda members. 

Some of the surrendees are hired by the local government as traffic enforcers while others have been paid as skilled laborers. 

Making former drug users busy resulted to the 70 percent reduction of crimes in this town, according to the police chief. No one among the 165 surrenderees returned to unlawful activities. 

“Our experience here shows that they still have the chance to change and to be rehabilitated. They are not really bad, they only lack care, love and communication,” Montaño said. 

Calbiga town is about 63 kilometers north of Tacloban City, the regional capital. It is a 4th class town in Samar province with a population of 22,982 people. (PNA)
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