(PNA Photo by Wilnard Bacelonia)
MANILA – Senator Francis Escudero on Tuesday said there is a need for the government to institutionalize livelihood and training programs for rehabilitated drug users if the government wants them to be productive in the society.
Presiding over a meeting of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education on Tuesday, Escudero was surprised to learn that although the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) prioritizes former drug dependents, there is no program solely for this group.
The Committee hearing is for Senate Bill 2115 and its counterpart House Bill 7721, both of which seek to institutionalize technical-vocational education and training (TVET) and livelihood programs for former drug dependents.
TESDA representative Joyce Balong, during the hearing, said almost 9,000 former drug dependents were awarded scholarships in 2021, with more than 8,000 successfully completing various courses under the TVET program.
Escudero, thus, called for the consolidation of the two bills and referred them to a technical working group (TWG) that will specify the training or livelihood programs exclusively for rehabilitated drug dependents.
He also instructed the TWG to take into account the existing Memorandum of Understanding or Memorandum of Agreement of the Dangerous Drug Board with various government bodies such as TESDA, the Department of Labor and Employment and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to ensure the formulation of tailored-fit programs.
Escudero also wants possible additional functions for CHED in the institutionalization of these programs in support of Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)
