Duterte admin to focus on rehab of drug dependents

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — In its next 100 days, the Duterte administration will shift to the next phase of its war on drugs: the rehabilitation of drug dependents.

More than 700,000 drug dependents surrendered to authorities in the first 100 days of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Now, the government intends to rehabilitate those who already came forward.

"We're shifting very quickly from the national security mode into the public health mode especially regarding drugs," said Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella.

"I think in about a month or two, the new rehab centers should be operational already," he added.

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said last week that the government is building more rehabilitation centers for drug surrenderees.

In August, the Health Department outlined a drug rehabilitation program that seeks to add rehab costs to PhilHealth.

Duterte received an "excellent" net satisfaction rating in a recent Social Weather Stations survey, with 84 percent of respondents saying they are satisfied with the drug crackdown.

But 71 percent of the respondents said it is "very important" to catch drug suspects alive.