BAGUIO CITY – The Diocese of Baguio through the St. Paul Parish in Tuba, Benguet and the Our Lady of Lourdes in Kisad seeks to reach out to drug addicts and dependents seeking healing and renewal through an alternative healthcare program or the traditional Chinese medicine of ear acupuncture for free.
Dubbed “Project: New Hope,” the program aims to provide an immediate rehabilitation and wellness program among victims of drug, substance and alcohol abuse and smoking and those with anxiety and depression due to psychological trauma, emotional and behavioral problems through ear acupuncture or acudetox (NADA Protocol), detoxification and stress management.
Clinic schedule is from 9 a.m. to 12 noon Mondays-Wednesdays-Fridays at St. Paul’s Parish Alternative Healthcare Clinic in Poblacion, Tuba, Benguet and Tuesdays and Thursdays and Saturdays (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Church along Kisad Road.
The program started last Aug. 29 and will run for three months. Patient identities will strictly be kept confidential.
The program is divided into three parts – detoxification (NADA Protocol), psychosocial counseling and spiritual formation inclusive of the nutrition aspect.
Council of Laity-Diocese of Baguio president Fred Puntawe, coordinator of the program explained that NADA Protocol “is a non-verbal approach to healing that involves the placement of five small, sterilized and disposable needles into five meridian gateways or pathways points on each ear. The recipients sit quietly in a group setting for 30-45 minutes.”
It is frequently used to support smoking cessation, weight loss and generalized stress and anxiety management.
“As a whole, the program targets the marginalized victims of these abuses who cannot afford to submit themselves to costly centre-based treatment even in government health care facilities,” Puntawe said.
“This undertaking is a show of support and concern to our brethren in distress and in solidarity with the government’s call to abate the drug menace that affects thousands of families which is the basic foundation of our Holy Church,” he added.
The project which is an offshoot of the medical mission conducted by the parish in July is chaired by Bishop Carlito Cenzon with project directors Rev. Frs. Camilo Ongsit of the St. Paul Parish, Mario Tambic of the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and Rosito Pedro Jr., vicar of the Council of Laity.
It is supported by the Department of Health Cordillera, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Cordillera, NADA Philippines, Cordillera Traditional and Alternative Healthcare Organization, NCIP Itogon Community Service Center, City Camp District Health Center, Municipal Government of Tuba, Tuba PNP, Philippine Information Agency Cordillera and the Association of Barangay Councils office through Councilor Michael Lawana. ** Aileen P. Refuerzo
