The San Fernando La Union Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (SFLU-TRC), a facility run by the Department of Health (DOH), targets to open its residential program for women patients by the last quarter of the year.

Raymund Basbas, chief administrative officer of the SFLU-TRC, said once the dormitory is finished, it can cater to over 100 residential female patients.

“The Dagupan TRC caters to all-male residential patients while the SFLU-TRC will cater to all-female residential patients soon,” he said in a phone interview on Monday.

Due to the pandemic and the election spending ban, the completion of the dormitory was moved to the last quarter of this year.

Basbas said they are currently catering to outpatients both male and female from the province of La Union and other nearby provinces in the Ilocos Region.

“We have six outpatients at present. Outpatients are classified under moderate risk while those who are high-risk are either referred to Dagupan TRC if they are male, and to Bataan and Nueva Ecija TRC or private facilities for women patients,” he said.

He said the cost for the outpatients’ six-month treatment is PHP4,000. But if the patient is indigent, he or she may not pay any amount or just a minimal amount.

Basbas said the stigma attached to entering a rehabilitation facility remains a challenge to encourage substance or other vices abusers to avail of the services they offer.

“They are usually ashamed or afraid of what people will think or say about them or their family but this should not be the case,” he said.

He further urged those struggling with addiction to undergo rehabilitation.

Residential clients undergo therapeutic community programs for six to 12 months, and aftercare monitoring for 18 months based on the standard of DOH, Basbas said.

“They have daily whole day activities to keep them busy, which include reformation programs, spiritual enhancements and advocacy programs, prepared and monitored by highly equipped doctors, psychologists, and psychiatrists,” he added. (PNA)