By LITO RULONA, Correspondent Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin Uy has ordered the creation of an ad hoc committee to look into the proposal to establish a cityun mental facility for rehabilitation of drug dependents. Uy told Gold Star Daily that he is responding to the needs of the recommendation from the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) to establish a mental health facility for those who volunteered to get rehabilitated after being hooked on illegal drugs. “This is a top priority project for Mayor Oscar Moreno after finding the large number of drug dependents who (responded) to Operation Tokhang (of the) city police office recently,” he said. According to the latest information from Cocpo, more than 4,000 individuals in the city have responded to Oplan Tokhang and expressed to avail of the rehabilitation program. The proposed mental facility will also provide services for the care and treatment of people who have mental illness and disabilities, and the abandoned elderly. In a press statement sent by the city council, the Ad hoc Committee on Mental Health Facility will be headed by Dr. Andresa Beñas, NCDJ mental health regional coordinator of the Department of Health (DOH 10), with Dr. Benson Go, chief of the treatment and rehabilitation center as the vice chair. Members of the committee would include JR Borja General Hospital executive officer Dr. Ramon Neri, chief of hospital Dr. Evelyn Perez, Dr. Fe Bongcas and  Dr. Rachel Dilla of the City Health Office, Dr. William D. Bernardo, OIC of the City Health Insurance Office (CHIO), acting CSWD officer Teodoro Sabuga-a, city budget officer Atty. Percy Salazar, city accountant Atty. Beda Joy Elot, and city information officer Maricel Casiño. The adhoc committee would be tasked to study and recommend the establishment of a facility where people with severe mental symptoms can get therapy, without physical or mental interventions like shock treatment or the unnecessary administration of drugs. It shall, likewise, study and recommend standard procedures for the successful, safe handling and helping of people with severe mental symptoms, among others. Uy said the city council is now looking into the proposal by forming an ordinance or resolution for the immediate establishment of the mental facility. “We are 100 percent prepared to support this undertaking para sab gyud makatabang sa uban. Those illegal drug dependents are also victims. Wala kita kahibalo sa reason ngano nga migamit sila niini nga droga,” he said. He said it is high time for the city government to establish such facilities like any other big cities in the country like Davao. “It’s more humane nga ato kini silang atimanon kadtong nanginahanglan kay sa pasagdan na lamang nato sila. About sa funding, mapangitaan og pamaagi,” he added.