The provincial government of Negros Occidental is set to establish a Special Drug Education Center (SDEC) within the premises of the Negros Occidental Drug Rehabilitation Foundation, Inc. (NODRFI) located in Victorias City. “There is really hope in these individuals who go astray. We’re giving them a second chance. We hope that such will happen in this center”, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said in a statement.
Lacson signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with NODRFI president Adelaida Rendon and Victorias City Mayor Javier Benitez, outlining the common goal of improving the plight of our out-of-school youth and street children. “We’re happy to continue supporting the drug rehabilitation center. We’re very excited having this with the provincial government”, Benitez said.
As a community-based facility, the Special Drug Education Center (SDEC) will provide a venue for promoting preventive and developmental services to out-of-school youth and street children, aiming to shield them from the harmful effects of drug abuse and contribute to their overall development as self-reliant and socially responsible members of society. According to the agreement, the province will establish a governing body led by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office to manage the SDEC's operations in collaboration with the Negros Occidental Drug Rehabilitation Foundation, Inc. (NODRFI).
The provincial government will also allocate annual funding for the operations of both the Negros Occidental Drug Rehabilitation Foundation, Inc. (NODRFI) and the Special Drug Education Center (SDEC). The Negros Occidental SDEC Team, in collaboration with the city government and NODRFI, will develop the operational manual and policies to ensure the effective functioning of the SDEC in accordance with legal requirements.
Additionally, the province will address the preventive drug abuse cases and needs of out-of-school youth and street children, seeking assistance from the NODRFI for the clinical and rehabilitation treatment of offenders or clients. Section 46 of Republic Act 9165, known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, mandates the establishment of SDECs within local government units.
