DILG: China keen on donating drug rehab facility to PH

Jee Y. Geronimo

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DILG: China keen on donating drug rehab facility to PH
'They will be sending over a delegation in order to have an ocular inspection of the possible areas where they can build the rehabilitation facility which they will finance,' says Interior Undersecretary John Castriciones

MANILA, Philippines – The Chinese government is interested in helping the Philippines’ drug rehabilitation efforts even as the government continues with its crackdown on illegal drugs.

In a statement on Thursday, December 22, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said a delegation from the Chinese embassy in Manila visited the office of Undersecretary John Castriciones last week to reiterate the Chinese government’s intention to help with the rehabilitation drive.

“They were represented by Charge d’ Affaires He Xiangqi and also by the National Police Attache’ Fu Yunfei of the People’s Republic of China. They informed us that they are very much interested to donate a facility for drug rehabilitation,” said Castriciones, the concurrent chairperson of the legal and investigative “Task Force Agila.”

He added that the Chinese Minister of Commerce and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III had previously entered into an agreement when the two met in China.

“They will be sending over a delegation in order to have an ocular inspection of the possible areas where they can build the rehabilitation facility which they will finance,” he said.

According to the DILG, several locations are being considered for the China-funded drug rehabilitation center, including a 10-hectare land in Rosario, Cavite, a 10-hectare property in Tagaytay, and a 4-hectare area in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.

But Castriciones said the embassy officials said they are “more keen on acquiring properties” near Metro Manila.

As early as July, the Chinese government already said they were willing to cooperate in the campaign against illegal drugs.

A Chinese tycoon, Huang Rulun, also donated a mega treatment and rehabilitation center that was recently inaugurated in Nueva Ecija.

From July 1 to December 20, the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs” has already seen at least 6,180 personalities killed both from legitimate police operations and vigilante-style or unexplained killings.

The Philippine National Police has also recorded at least 949,343 drug surrenderers in Project TokHang, but based on estimates, only 1% to 2% of this number will need residential drug rehabilitation treatment, while the rest will undergo either a community-based rehabilitation program or an outpatient one. – Rappler.com

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Jee Y. Geronimo

Jee is part of Rappler's Central Desk, handling most of the world, science, and environment stories on the site. She enjoys listening to podcasts and K-pop, watching Asian dramas, and running long distances. She hopes to visit Israel someday to retrace the steps of her Savior.