FORT RAMON MAGSAYSAY, Palayan City – The Duterte administration’s anti-drug rehabilitation program suffered a setback after disgruntled employees do an exodus from the mega Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (DATRC) inside this military reservation due to delayed salaries.
Sources said non-permanent workers holding important posts such as psychometricians who oversee reforming drug users were leaving the organization because of two-month delayed salaries that has become routinary. Over half of the original 25 psychometricians have gone “to seek greener pastures,” a source revealed.
This resulted to a chaotic ratio of one psychometrician, also called case manager, to over 50 residents (former drug dependents) from the ideal 1:25.
Psychometricians have monthly salary bracket of P17,000 to P26,000.
Recently, a female staff who is said to be among the best managers in DATRC left in favor of the University of Cordillera in Baguio City.
Three nurses have resigned due to delayed salary, the sources said.
Dr. Nelson Dancel, DATRC chief of the facility, said they see to it that residents are properly attended to despite shortage in personnel.
“Umaalis yung iba dahil sa delayed na sweldo, yung iba ay dahil may magandang papasukan at mas malapit sa kanila,” said Dancel, adding that the Department of Health has been working to address the center’s financial requirements.
The facility that was originally designed for 10,000 residents, donated by Chinese real estate tycoon Huang Rulan, holds 900 residents and some 100 permanent and job order employees at the present.
Over 1000 former drug dependents have finished four to six months rehabilitation course in the facility since its opening on November 29, 2016, according to Dancel.
Dancel expressed belief the facility can get a bigger budget for 2019, especially when the P86-million 2019 budget as approved by the Department of Bidget and Management shall be approved by President Duterte. “Nasa Malacañang naman yung listahan ng mga kailangang budget,” he said.
