Neophyte congressman Christopher P. de Venecia (4th District, Pangasinan) urged yesterday for the mobilization of a parallel national effort to support President Rodrigo Duterte’s decisive and increasingly successful campaign to eradicate illegal drugs and the criminal syndicates behind them. De Venecia proposed the creation of new drug rehabilitation centers in various regions of the country to be placed under the Department of Health (DOH) to accommodate the tens of thousands of drug addicts in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao who are surrendering in droves. He also asked Senate and House leaders to work with the DOH and the Department of Budget and Management in increasing the budget dedicated to rehabilitation centers in Davao, Palawan, Cagayan Valley, Pangasinan, Bicol, Cebu, Zamboanga, Bacolod, Iligan City, and expansion and modernization of existing centers. De Venecia also called for the conversion of portions of military camps and unused public buildings to temporarily house interim rehabilitation [...]
