OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT OF SELECTED DRUG ABUSE

TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION CENTERS IN CAVITE

Char Mae C. Casil

A thesis proposal submitted to the faculty of the Department of Social Sciences and
Humanities, College of Arts and Sciences, Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite in
partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Political
Science with No.______________ Prepared under the supervision of Ms. Ria Anne Rozul.

INTRODUCTION

The use of illegal drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine and inhalants

has been increasing immensely in our society these days. These synthetic drugs, also

known as psychoactive drugs, are made with chemicals that affect the human mind and

body when taken orally, breathed in or injected. Most of these drugs cannot be purchased

over the counter without a doctor’s prescription.

Drug dependent individuals are people who rely too much on illegal drugs and if

these people were unable to sustain the amount or dosage of the drug they take in a day,

their appetite, attitude and perspective change which may induce misbehaviour such as

stealing, raping, harming one’s body, problems in family structure and many more. It is a

world problem because some states can no longer control the rising number of illegal

distribution of illegal drugs, and due to its rising number, drug-related crimes are increasing

as well, that is why some countries are implementing laws which prohibit the use and abuse

of illegal drugs.

There are different laws and regulations regarding psychoactive drugs on every

country. In the United States, federal drug laws exist to control the use, manufacturing,
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possession, and distribution of various drugs that are legal and illegal. Federal agencies

collaborate with both state and local law enforcement to ensure effective controls over

substances that are deemed to be a danger to individuals and to society. Federal agents

focus mainly on trafficking. But state agencies make most arrests for drug offenses, and

many of these arrests are for possession (Miller, 2017).

Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed Republic Act 9165 otherwise,

known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002, to not only provide penalties

for illegal possession and selling of drugs but at the same time, protect everyone in the

country. The law also mandates the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) to be the policy- and

strategy-making body that plans and formulates programs on drug prevention and control

and tasked the Department of Health (DOH) to "oversee and monitor the integration,

coordination and supervision of all drug rehabilitation, intervention, after-care and follow-

up programs, projects and activities as well as the establishment, operations, maintenance

and management of privately-owned drug treatment rehabilitation centers and drug testing

networks and laboratories throughout the country in collaboration with the DSWD and

other agencies" (Republic Act 9165, 2002)

Since the incumbent President Rodrigo Roa Duterte ordered that illegal drugs

should be entirely eliminated in the country, crime reports regarding illegal drugs has been

lessened. Some surrendered, and were transferred to rehabilitation centers, some were

jailed and some completely ended the use of illegal drugs (Except for Killings, All Crimes

Drop in Duterte's 1st year, 2017).

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Drug rehabilitation facilities help drug addicts prepare to re-enter society. Drug

addiction often changes a person’s behaviour, which can affect all aspect of his or her life,

including work and relationships. In drug rehabilitation centers, patients do their best to

regain their normal lives in a safe and healthy way. As of July 2016, there are 50 drug

treatment and rehabilitation centers across the Philippines: 47 are residential while three

are out-patient centers. (LIST: Where are drug treatment and rehab centers in the

Philippines, 2016)

Existing treatment and rehabilitation centers for drug dependents operated and

maintained by the NBI and the PNP shall be operated, maintained and managed by the

DOH in coordination with other concerned agencies. The Department of Health applied

standards written at the Manual of Operations for Drug Abuse Treatment and

Rehabilitation Centers as basis for accreditation of rehab centers. This Manual of

Operations for Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers shall serve as standard

reference material to aid administrators and practitioners in the management and operations

of the different Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers in the Philippines. This manual

presents the minimum standards for facilities, services and resources recommended by the

Department of Health (DOH) for this type of health care facility. These same standards

will be uniformly applied by the DOH as basis for accreditation of Drug Abuse Treatment

and Rehabilitation Centers in the country.

The researcher will conduct a research to make sure that Cavite, one of the

provinces of CALABARZON (Region 4A), being the second region next to National

Capital Region that recorded most number of drug dependent individuals, has drug abuse
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and rehabilitation centers that have enough facilities to cater patients and to also evaluate

the capacity of different rehabilitation centers in the said area in handling the problems

they encounter (20% of PH Barangays Drug-Affected, 2015).

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to specify the operational standards of drug abuse treatment and
rehabilitation centers in Cavite.

Specifically, it aims to give answers to the following questions:

1. What are the management styles and procedures of selected rehabilitation centers

in Cavite in terms of:

a. maintaining the facility as a patient-friendly environment?

b. attending the drug dependents?

2. What are the most common problems encountered by these Drug Abuse Treatment

and Rehabilitation Centers?

3. What are the measures employed in overcoming these problems encountered by

Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers?

Significance of the Study

This study can be beneficial to the following sectors:

Participating rehabilitation centers. They will realize what they lack in their

establishment.

The local government units, non-governmental organizations and religious

organization. Based on the future findings of this study, they may review the existing
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programs to make them beneficial to rehabilitees. They will be able to improve the policy

and measure the fiscal allocation needed by rehabilitation centers.

The clientelle and their families. They will be able to select the most convenient

and most suitable rehabilitation center for the drug dependent.

The personnel of the rehabilitation centers. Primarily the head or administrator,

they will be able to distinguish where their establishment is good or bad at especially in

terms of policy, management and conducting programs for the patients.

Time and Place of the Study

The study would take place at Amadeo, Bacoor, Indang, Silang, Tagaytay and

Trece Martires, Cavite. The researcher will conduct the study from December 2018 to

January 2019.

Scope and Limitations

This study will primarily deal with identifying the operational standards of different

government affiliated and non-governmental drug treatment and rehabilitation centers,

particularly in the province of Cavite and determine the problems they encounter and how

they handle these problems. However, it would not include different programs and

rehabilitation techniques by religious organizations.

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Conceptual Framework

Operational Standards

Problems

Possible Solutions

Figure 1. The conceptual framework of the study deals with how the statement of the

problem will be solved in this study.

The researcher ought to identify the different Drug Abuse Treatment and

Rehabilitation Centers in the province of Cavite and its operational standards. The process

of gathering the data needed should be in form of a interview that would be conducted with

the heads/administrators and psychologist/psychiatrist, who are primarily the most

knowledgeable in terms of disclosing information regarding their respective centers.

The study aims to identify the problems encountered by selected Drug Abuse

Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers in Cavite and the measures employed in overcoming

these problems.
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Definition of Terms

Drug Dependent. A person who relies too much on illegal drugs and would not

function normally if a certain drug is not taken.

Illegal drugs. Drugs whose production, distribution, or use are either forbidden or

only allowed via a doctor’s prescription.

Manual of Operations for Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers.

Standard reference material to aid administrators and practitioners in the management and

operations of the different Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers in the Philippines.

Methamphetamine. A central nervous system stimulant that is rarely used to cure

obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Widely known as shabu in the

Philippines.

Outpatient centers. Medical facilities that provide outpatient diagnostic,

therapeutic, and restorative services for the rehabilitation of an injury, disability, or illness.

Psychoactive Drug. A kind of drug affecting the mind which results to temporary

changes of behaviour.

Residential rehabilitation. Also called residential rehab, is an addiction

treatment program that is provided to patients in a residential setting.

Republic Act 9165. An act instituting the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of

2002, repealing Republic Act No. 6425, otherwise known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of

1972, as amended, providing funds therefore, and for other purposes.