European Union Supports President Duterte’s War Against Illegal Drugs In The Philippines

The European Union (EU) is gearing up for rollout of a project designed to ensure that former drug addicts do not return to their old habit, as more countries continue to offer support for Duterte administration’s aggressive war against illegal drugs.

EU Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen told reporters the project involves constructing half-way houses in barangays across Luzon.

“We call it half-way houses where you have people who are out of drugs but you want to make sure they are out of drugs so you work with their families, you work with the neighborhood. (This is) trying to make them understand that being drug-free is important. Imperative to that discussion is the provision of job opportunities, do what they used to do,” he said.

If such system becomes effective, Jessen said they would roll-out the project in other areas outside Luzon.

Jessen further said the EU is working with the Department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for the implementation of such project, as they incorporate the best experiences and introduce them in the Philippines.

“It is also strictly voluntary, if people (who are already out of drugs) are ready to do this, then we are ready to help,” he added.

More drug treatment and rehabilitation centers are expected to be completed before the year ends, which were funded through donations from local private sector firms and foreign agencies, including Chinese non-governmental organization Friends of the Philippines, Ministry of China and Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Source: Philippine News Agency