UNDERSTANDING THE LIFE OF DRUG SURRENDEREES IN MUNICIPAL VALUES

FORMATION AND CHAPLAINCY OFFICE OF BULAN, SORSOGON

A Research Project
Presented to the Faculty
Of the Senior High School Department
Bulan National High School
Bulan,Sorsogon

In Partial Fulfillment
of the
Requirement for the
Inquiries, Investigations, and Immersion

By:
Kenneth Hunz Gabriel O. Gabion
Jeth P. Gino
Kassandra Maureen G. Pura
Grade 12 Humanities and Social Sciences

December 2018
 INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The past decades have seen increasing concern for substance use, and the United Nations

Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports that 2.3% of the world’s population abuses illicit

substances (UNODC, 2014). According Fogoros, 2018 drug use is one of the nation's most

expensive health problems. The estimated cost of drug abuse in the United States—including

illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco—is more than $820 billion a year and growing. Substance abuse

in the U.S. costs society in increased healthcare costs, crime, and lost productivity. In addition to

the financial costs, drug use also exacts a human cost with thousands of lives being damaged and

forever changed by drug use and addiction.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) also reported that 92% of barangays in

the National Capital Region are affected by illicit drug use (PDEA, 2015). In July 2016, newly

elected President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte declared a ‘war’ against illicit drugs. Dubbed

‘Operation Double Barrel’ or Oplan Tokhang, the campaign involved efforts at demand reduction

and supply reduction. Supply reduction involved shutting down drug laboratories and arresting

drug suppliers. Demand reduction activities involved community officials and/or local police

going to the homes of known users and asking them to voluntarily surrender and receive treatment.

As of March 2017, 1.18 million illicit drug users have surrendered (Raymundo, 2017) with

an additional 44,070 arrests and 2,206 fatalities (Palatino, 2017). However, beyond these legal

measures, the Human Rights Watch (2017) reports that the Philippine National Police and

unidentified vigilantes have killed about 7,000 suspected drug users and pushers in what are now

termed extra-judicial killings.

 The staggering numbers highlight the urgent need to develop and implement drug treatment

programs. However, because drug treatments are costly and generally inaccessible to the poor, the

UNODC (2014) suggested the necessary provision of community-based drug recovery support.

This involves providing holistic care in the form of preventive education, health promotion,

screening, treatment and rehabilitation services, primary health services, basic support, education,

skills training, and livelihood opportunities in communities (UNODC, 2014). Beyond being cost-

effective, there is evidence that community-based drug interventions have significantly decreased

hospital stay, emergency room visits, and criminality (UNODC, 2014).

The Dangerous Drugs Board (2016) of the Philippines reported that 90% of those who have

voluntarily surrendered could be treated in the community (Cepeda, 2016). However, like most

countries in Asia, the Philippines has primarily employed compulsory residential treatment in

resolving illicit drug use problems (Vuong et al., 2017). Given the overwhelming number of

clients, communities have created their own programs consisting of community service (e.g.,

cleaning, beautification, tree planting, gardening), recreational activities (e.g., sports activities,

Zumba, yoga), counselling, and spiritual formation (e.g., bible study, prayer groups). Meanwhile,

the Philippine National police launched the "Life after Tokhang", a drug rehabilitation program,

PNP-initiated, community-based recovery and wellness program which seeks to assist and

facilitate recovery from drug abuse and dependence. This helps the surrenderees to further improve

themselves to become free from drug use and abuse.

In the Municipality of Bulan, Sorsogon, the Municipal Values Formation and Chaplaincy

Office is one of the primary institutions that cater drug surrenderees. The office conduct

community-based drug recovery support through reinforcement of good moral values and

participation in religious-centered activities.

 In line with this, the researchers will conduct this study to understand the life of drug

surrenderees in Municipal Values Formation and Chaplaincy Office of Bulan, Sorsogon. The life

of drug surrenderees must be understood not only in one facet (e.g., active drug use life). A holistic

understanding of their lives is needed especially in the point of their life where they show

willingness to change.

Thus, this study aims to comprehend and apprehend the lives of drug surrenderees as they

participate and engage in values formation and religious programs and activities. Specifically, this

study will determine factors that affect the drug recovery of drug surrenderees and how the

programs and activities implemented in the Municipal Values Formation and Chaplaincy Office

of Bulan, Sorsogon.
Statement of the Problem

General Objective

This study aims to understand the life of drug surrenderees in Municipal Values Formation

and Chaplaincy Office of Bulan, Sorsogon.

Specific Objectives

Specifically, this study aims to explore the experiences of drug surrenderees in Municipal

Values Formation and Chaplaincy Office of Bulan, Sorsogon and capture the rich descriptions of

their lived experiences through a phenomenological study. This study seeks to answer the

following research questions

1. How do the programs and activities in the Municipal Values Formation and Chaplaincy Office

in Bulan Sorsogon affect the lives of drug surrenderees?

2. What are the factors that encourage the drug surrenderees to participate and engage in programs

and activities in the Municipal Values Formation and Chaplaincy Office?

3. How do the drug surrenderees cope with their drug recovery life?
Scope and Delimitation

The focus of this study is to understand lives of drug surrenderees and to determine the

effects of attending in the Municipal Values Formation and Chaplaincy Office in Bulan, Sorsogon

in their lives. This study is a qualitative research and will cover the drug surrenderees in Bulan,

Sorsogon who are enrolled in the Municipal Values Formation and Chaplaincy Office only. The

name and other personal information of the drug surrenderees will be confidential and there will

be pseudonym used during the interview. Purposive sampling will be used in identifying the

sample respondents. A total of 21 respondents will be selected for the qualitative design. Semi-

structured interview questions will be asked during the interview session. The interview session

will last for one or two hours and will be audio recorded for transcription purposes.
Significance of the Study

This section provides brief description on the various significances of the study.

Drug surrenderees. This study is beneficial to the drug surrenderees themselves because they will

have a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of what is their life like and the lives of

their fellow drug surrenderees. This study may shed light on certain aspects of their lives which

they are struggling to cope with or understand.

LGU. This study is advantageous to local government units because this can help them in crafting

and formulating programs and projects centered on catering drug surrenderees in the locality. The

analysis of the life experiences of drug surrenderees may help LGU’s in creating the right and

appropriate interventions for them.

PDEA. As one of the leading agencies in the country aimed at combatting the problem of illegal

drugs, this study is helpful to PDEA because this will give them insights on how drug surrenderees

respond to several drug rehabilitation programs which is significant in creating reforms on the drug

rehabilitation framework of the country.

Local Values Formation and Chaplaincy Office. This study is beneficial to the local values

formation and chaplaincy offices because this will provide cognizance on the effectivity and

aptness of their several interventions and programs for the drug surrenderees. As one of the primary

institutions that guides the rehabilitation of drug surrenderees particularly on their moral and

religious aspect of their lives, they will be able to see if the surrenderees are responding well to

their interventions.

Students. This study is advantageous to the students because this will instill awareness on the life

of drug surrenderees who do their best to change their lives among them. In addition, they will be
enlightened on the process of restoring the lives of former drug pushers or users through attending

values formation and religious activities.

Future researchers. This study is beneficial to the future researchers because this could serve as

their foundation on creating a new study.

Community. This study is gainful to the community because through this study they will have

perspicacity on how drug surrenderees live their life and what are the things they do in order to

change their way of living. This is very important because as the community is the social space of

the drug surrenderees.

Definition of terms

Barangay - is the smallest unit of governance in the Philippines.

Chaplaincy - is an expression of ministry that places chaplains inside various settings, which

include hospitals, corporations, prisons, public safety agencies, and the military services. As such,

chaplaincy is an extension of the local church reaching into our diverse and multicultural society

providing spiritual care to people.

Extra-judicial killings - is defined as a deliberated killing not authorized by a previous judgment

pronounced by a regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees which are

recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.

Life after Tokhang - is the Philippine National Police Recovery and Wellness Program that seeks

to assist and facilitate recovery from drug abuse and dependence.

Operation Double Barrel - aims to address the issue through "Project Tokhang" or the lower barrel

approach and "Project HVT (high value targets)" or the upper barrel approach.

Purposive sampling - is a non-probability sample that is selected based on characteristics of a

population and the objective of the study. Purposive sampling is also known as judgmental,

selective, or subjective sampling.

Semi-structured questions - is a meeting in which the interviewer does not strictly follow a

formalized list of questions. They will ask more open-ended questions, allowing for a discussion

with the interviewee rather than a straightforward question and answer format.

Tokhang - a Visayan word contraction of tuktuk hangyo, or to knock and plead.