San Miguel to hire ex-drug dependents in QC for MRT-7 project

Former drug dependents in Quezon City who have completed the government's rehabilitation program may soon be hired to work on the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) project of San Miguel Corporation (SMC).

QC Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte announced this during the ceremony for 100 former drug dependents who completed the community-based rehabilitation program of Quezon City's Anti-Drug Abuse Advisory Council.

Belmonte said a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) would be signed on April 25 in order to formalize the commitment of SMC.

"Aside from San Miguel, mayroon pang ibang mga private companies na gustong makipag-MOA sa city government. Nakita kasi natin na mayroong mga suitable for clerical work o sa mga call center jobs," Belmonte said in a statement.

"Sa paraang ito tinutulungan natin na sila'y makahanap ng hanapbuhay. Hindi naman kasi ibig sabihin na gumamit ka nang bawal na gamot ay masamang tao ka na," she added.

Over 16,000 illegal drug users have surrendered under the government's Oplan Double Barrel.

Under QC's drug rehabilitation program, drug surrenderees have to take 12 mandatory clinical counseling sessions for three months. After which, a drug testing and psychological evaluation will be conducted.

Further treatment will also be provided in the city's Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Payatas. Drug dependents who have completed the rehabilitation program will be monitored by the Barangay Drug Abuse Councils to ensure that they will not go back to their old ways. 

The MRT-7 project is a 23-kilometer elevated railway system linking MRT-3 North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan. The P62.7-billion project will cover 14 stations.

It is also expected to accomodate over 56,000 commuters per hour for a daily capacity of 850,000 passengers.

The construction of the train system and integrated transport terminal is ongoing and is at 5.04 percent as of February 10. — Marlly Rome Bondoc/MDM, GMA News