The Department of Health is proposing to have a budget of P164.8 billion next year, up by nine percent from this year’s P151.3-billion budget. But the Health department, according to Senator Ralph Recto, cut down its budget intended for operations of government-run drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation centers from the P3.08 billion in 2017 to only P759.6 million for next year, a 75 percent reduction. “If drug addiction is a disease, is this budgetary prescription from our health officials the right one?” asked Recto. “The word from the DOH is that private donations will make up for the difference. Reports showed that five regional drug treatment and rehabilitation centers are being constructed in Isabela, Mountain Province, Palawan, Zamboanga and Taguig City, all funded by the private sector.

Source: The Standard September 09, 2017 16:07 UTC