RP’s drug problem down by 75%, says Drugs Board Chair

The country’s drug abuse problem has decreased by almost 75% from the 6 million level in 2004 to only 1.7 million level in 2009.

“We have been very successful in our fight against drug abuse in the last five years,” Dangerous Drugs Board chairperson Sec. Vicente Sotto III said today during the nationwide seminar-workshop on Republic Act 9165 being held in Davao City from July 28 to 30.

RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 aims to provide more teeth to the government’s fight against illegal drug traffic and addiction by providing stiffer penalties for illegal drug use and pushing.

Proof of this success, Sotto said, is the latest research conducted by the Philippine Normal University and the Department along with the Department of Interior and Local Government. The result of the 2009 study, which was compared to the 2004 study, showed a positive effect in the government’s program versus drug abuse.

“The research show that the number of drug abusers has decreased form 6 million in 2004 to only 1.7 million in 2009,” Sotto said. The statistics is quite accurate, he added compared to what the other countries have been reporting to the United Nations.

Sotto said China recently submitted a report to the UN stating that they only have 1 million drug users. However, he added, this is an unbelievable figure considering that China has billions of people.

He said he brought the matter to the attention of the UN Committee on Drugs and Crime. It turned out that China only reported the number of dependents that are in their rehabilitation centers, he added.

If that would be the basis, he said, then the Philippines should amend its report because there are only 5,860 drug dependents in the country using that basis. “That’s comparing apples to apples and not apples to oranges,” he said.

DDB undersecretary Clarence Paul V. Oaminal said research shows that 92.68% of Filipinos haven’t tried drugs. “About 80% of the 7.23% Filipinos who have tried drugs admitted to have stopped,” he said.

Sotto said the drug abuse problem is so complex because “this is the only crime where the criminal is a victim and the victim is also a criminal.” However, he added, no country in the world is without such problem.

Despite the success, he said, both the prosecution and the enforcement groups should continue to work together to ensure that the drug abuse problem is minimized or even eradicated.

“But the illegal drug problem can never be won by enforcement but by families,” he said. This is why the government is making sure there are enough awareness and educational programs to help solve the problem.

Drug delivery firm now in Davao; makes P400M in 2006

A Philippine company which has pioneered in the delivery of medications all over Metro Manila and Metro Cebu is now in Davao City.

MedExpress is like your ordinary drugstore but the main difference is that they do not sell their medicines physically. Instead, customers can just dial their 225-55-55 Hotline for Davao City and they will be immediately connected to the drugstore’s Call Center in Manila.

“There are at least three benefits one can get from the MedExpress Drug Store,” MedExpress business development manager Carlo Lorenzana told members of the media during the Davao Press Club Kapehan held at SM’s Cafe Rysus yesterday.

One of these benefits, he said, is convenience since customers can order their medicines through the Hotline number and then have their orders delivered for free provided the bill reaches P700 or above. For purchases below P700, the drugstore charges a delivery fee of P30, but with a P70 discount on the first delivery purchase.

The company, which has earned P400 million in revenues in 2006, boasts of having a call center that is operated by licensed Pharmacists. This allows them to provide medication counseling to their clients every time they purchase a prescription medicine. Aside from that, Lorenzana said, the drugstore also has a medication compliance program which reminds clients when they have to replenish their maintenance medication.

“We also keep a confidential medication history of our clients which means we keep a record of the medicines purchased from us which can be accessed by the customer when needed,” he said.

The delivery drugstore also accepts credit cards as their delivery personnel have wireless terminals for credit card verification. They also give the legally required discounts to senior citizens provided the patient submits a copy of their Senior Citizens ID for one-time verification.

MedExpress is the outsource pharmacy of PLDT and San Miguel so they are also planning to put up a drive through outlet for their Davao clients. It has seven branches in Metro Manila and one each in Cebu, Davao and Jakarta, which is franchised outlet.