A newly-admitted drug user gets his head shaved at Central Luzon Drug Rehabilitation Center in Pampanga province, in northern Philippines.Reuters
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was sworn into office on 30 June and since then the toughest action has been taken against illegal narcotics trade and drug peddlers. More than 3,500 people have been killed in his anti-drug campaign.
Reports say the increasing popularity of methamphetamine, a cheap and highly addictive drug, is encumbering health services and tearing families and communities apart in the Southeast Asian country. The drug is locally known as Shabu.
Benjamin Reyes, the chairman of the countries drug policy-making body, said that in spite of being a country with the highest methamphetamine usage rate in East Asia, Philippines has only 44 treatment facilities. A total of 7,200 patients can be accommodated in those.
The drug rehabilitation centres offer a strict and balanced routine for the drug users. They often have to go through strenuous routines in order to get rid of the drug habit. These rehabilitation centres also provide different programmes such as painting, handicrafts and others for the drug users.
Recently, the Philippines government announced new plans for a 'mega' rehabilitation centre which will be able to accommodate nearly 10,000 patients. It also said that it has plans to open four more mega rehab centres in the country.
Drug users who call themselves "Recovering Champions" are blindfolded as part of their weekend drug rehabilitation program organised by the government of San Fernando, La Union, in northern Philippines.Reuters
A drug user holds a Bible before the start of a Yoga session at Center for Christian Recovery, a private drug rehabilitation center, in Antipolo, Rizal, in the Philippines.Reuters
A drug user with a tattoo that reads: "You'll Never Walk Alone", is seen inside a classroom turned into a makeshift dormitory during a weekend drug rehabilitation program organized by the government of San Fernando, La Union, in northern Philippines.Reuters
Drug users who call themselves "Recovering Champions" crawl on mud as part of their weekend drug rehabilitation program organized by the government of San Fernando, La Union, in northern Philippines.Reuters
A drug user, who took his baby hostage during a visit from his family, sits inside an isolation cell as a punishment for his behaviour at Central Luzon Drug Rehabilitation Center in Pampanga province, in northern Philippines.Reuters
Drug users who call themselves "Recovering Champions" are hosed with water as part of their weekend drug rehabilitation program organized by the government of San Fernando, La Union, in northern Philippines.Reuters
A female drug user puts the finishing touches on her painting inside a dormitory hall of Central Luzon Drug Rehabilitation Center in Pampanga province, in northern Philippines.Reuters
Drug users get computer training as part of a recovery training and livelihood project at Central Luzon Drug Rehabilitation Center in Pampanga province, in northern Philippines.Reuters
Drug users who completed six months drug rehabilitation program receive a statue of Baby Jesus or St Nino at Central Luzon Drug Rehabilitation Center in Pampanga province, in northern Philippines.Reuters
