Beyond rehabilitation: ₱5,000 transport aid helps recovering drug users in Kalinga stay on track

FEATURE

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Completing a drug rehabilitation program does not necessarily mean the end of a person's recovery journey. For five recovering drug users in Kalinga, the next challenge is staying committed to aftercare and monitoring despite financial difficulties.

To help them continue their recovery, the provincial government provided ₱25,000 in financial assistance to five indigent Recovering Persons Who Used Drugs (RPWUDs) on October 23, 2026, at the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) Conference Hall in Tabuk City.

Each beneficiary received ₱5,000 intended to cover transportation expenses when attending prescribed aftercare sessions and monitoring activities.

While rehabilitation helps individuals address drug use and begin rebuilding their lives, recovery requires continuing support even after they complete their treatment program.

Under the aftercare process, recovering individuals are required to regularly report to designated rehabilitation or monitoring facilities for assessment, guidance and monitoring.

These activities help track their progress, reinforce their commitment to recovery and support their return to their families and communities.

Depending on the prescribed program and the concerned authorities, aftercare and monitoring may continue for up to two years.

However, for individuals from low-income families or households with unstable sources of income, transportation expenses can become an obstacle to attending scheduled sessions.

Missing these activities may disrupt their recovery process and limit their access to continuing support. The financial assistance is therefore intended to ease this burden and encourage beneficiaries to remain engaged in their prescribed recovery programs.

Recovery beyond treatment

Drug rehabilitation is not simply about stopping drug use. It also involves helping individuals regain control of their lives, rebuild relationships, develop healthier habits and become productive members of their communities.

Aftercare plays an important role in this process by providing continued assessment, guidance and support as recovering individuals adjust to life outside rehabilitation facilities.

Family involvement, community acceptance, livelihood opportunities and access to social services can also help sustain their recovery and reduce the risk of returning to drug use.

The provincial assistance recognizes that recovery is not solely the responsibility of the individuals concerned. It also requires support from families, communities and government institutions.

The ₱25,000 assistance was sourced from the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) Fund and facilitated by Jenina Ruth S. Bangelan, Social Welfare Officer III and RPWUD focal person, and Rosemaritez A. Oyawon, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer.

The initiative forms part of the provincial government's continuing efforts to strengthen drug rehabilitation and community reintegration under the leadership of Governor James S. Edduba, who also chairs the PPOC.

For the five beneficiaries, the assistance provides more than transportation money. It helps remove one financial barrier to continuing their recovery—a journey that does not end when treatment is completed, but continues with every step toward rebuilding their lives.