Part Two
WHAT would a mother not do for her child? Some say nothing.
Ask Melanie, a 65-year-old businessman and the mother of Daniel, who became hooked with “ice” or crystal meth or shabu when he was 16 years old.
That was 29 years ago and yet, Melanie, who spoke with the BusinessMirror on condition of anonymity, said much as she wants to forget the suffering brought by her son’s addiction, “it still hurts.” “I did not know that he was a user because he was still only in high school,” Melanie told the BusinessMirror.
She said they noticed Daniel, not his real name, was spending too much time with friends.
“Napapansin ko na medyo nababarkada,” Melanie said. “Lagi silang umaalis gamit ang sasakyan namin. [Daniel takes the family car with his friends when they frequently go out].”
Since they were busy with their furniture and appliance business, “hindi namin namalayan na nalulong na pala siya sa droga [We failed to notice he was already hooked into drugs].”
Melanie told the BusinessMirror that after her husband died, she started to notice that something was not right with his eldest son.
“Daniel was studying in Manila; we are here in the province. He would often ask for additional allowance. He was taking up engineering in one of the exclusive schools there,” Melanie said. She said she could only send money to Daniel until the request for remittance became more frequent and the amount grew bigger.
“Pinapadalhan ko na lang ng pinapadalhan ng pera hanggang sa napapadalas na at palaki na ng palaki ang hinihingi.”
Discovery
AFTER two years of her separation with his son Daniel, Melanie traveled to Manila. It was only that time she discovered his son’s drug addiction.
“I learned he no longer stayed in the apartment as he wasn’t able to pay his rent for three months,” Melanie said. “I was so shocked because I entrusted to him all the money for the rent and I always [sent him money so he can] pay on time. Worst, he also stopped going to school because he failed to pay the tuition.”
Melanie said she searched for Daniel and learned he was living with friends for free.
“Hinanap ko siya sa barkada niya at inuwi ko siya sa probinsiya, [I looked for him and brought him back to our province],” Melanie said.
She said his son admitted being an addict and asked for forgiveness.
“We both cried,” she said. “I pleaded with him to undergo rehabilitation and he agreed.” Melanie said the rehabilitation in a private facility lasted for 10 months.
Recurrence
WHEN Melanie thought everything will be back to normal again for his son, she agreed to end Daniel’s program. He was released.
Melanie later on learned how wrong she was.
“He said he will go back to school later and he even volunteered to help me in our business first,” Melanie said. “Daniel said he will help in the delivery of the appliances and furniture to which I agreed.”
She said everything was doing OK in the first few months after Daniel was released from the drug- rehabilitation center. And then she started to have problems with the money he was collecting.
“Medyo nagkukulang na minsan,” she said. “Sasabihin niya hindi nakapagbayad ’yung client sa amin, ’yun pala bumalik na naman siya sa dati niyang bisyo. At naging malala na kasi nagbebenta na siya ng gamit [The collections from clients were getting short. Daniel would say the client has not yet paid, but I learned he went back to using drugs. It was worse that time, because he was selling our things to fund his drug use].”
His son never went back to school and decided to get married.
Types
ACCORDING to Alfonso Villaroman, chief program officer of the Department of Health (DOH) in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, there are several types of users of illegal drugs.
One type is categorized as experimental users who try narcotics just one time. Occasional users, meanwhile, take drugs during parties and nights out with their friends.
“Then there are regular users who take [illegal] drugs consistently, say, every three days, every week or every two weeks,” said Villaroman, a physician. “Compulsive users, meanwhile, take drugs more often. Usually, they have ‘comorbid disorders or cooccurring diseases’.”
Due to the frequency of using illegal drugs, the user develops mental problems, like psychosis or paranoia, and ailments, like hypertension and cardio-pulmonary diseases. They also develop infectious diseases, like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immune deficiency syndrome and tuberculosis, because of their lifestyle, Villaroman said.
Regular users can undergo counseling or go to out-patient treatment and rehabilitation centers. But those who no longer have jobs, have begun stealing or have become a hazard to themselves and their families, have to be brought to an in-patient rehabilitation center, he explained.
Compulsive users must be brought to an institution that can help them, like the National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong City. They can also be referred to a psychiatrist or a specialized hospital, which will allow them to deal with their problems.
Algorithm
IN the bid of President Duterte to win in his war on drugs, the Department of Health (DOH) has turned to algorithm.
According to the Health Secretary Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial, the department will release an algorithm that will serve as the standard assessment for surrenderees.
The algorithm will be given to doctors, nurses, social workers and counselors who will determine whether “surrenderees” will be accepted by a DOH-accredited rehabilitation center.
Ubial said these facilities only accept users without criminal liability. Nonetheless, the department will still provide rehabilitation services to those in jail, she explained.
“For us, the drug user or the addict is not the enemy. They are the victims,” Ubial said. “Sila po ang naging biktima ng drug pusher, kung kaya’t tutulungan namin sila.”
Ubial also mentioned that the department is also looking at working with local government units that have volunteered venues to be converted as temporary drug-rehabilitation facilities. They will also be providing trainings to those operating these facilities so that the DOH can have an immediate mobilization for another 5,000 patients, according to Ubial.
In the event of an excessive increase of surrenderees, the DOH will set up tents and cot beds, Ubial added.
To be concluded