STATISTICAL ANALYSIS 

CY 2023 

For 2023, a total of eighty-two (82) Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers (DATRCs) are reporting to the Treatment and Rehabilitation Admission Information System (TRAIS). Of this, seventy-five (75) are residential, and seven (7) are outpatient.  

 Five thousand five hundred forty-six (5,546) admissions were recorded from these reporting facilities.  Of these numbers, four thousand four twenty-five (4,425) are new admissions, eighty-five (85) are readmitted, or relapse cases, and one thousand thirty-six (1,036) are outpatient.    

Compared with the previous year’s cases, a forty-three percent (43.49%) increase in admission was noted.  The rise in admission can be attributed to the enhanced implementation of programs for Persons Who Use Drugs (PWUDs), assisting them to gain access to appropriate intervention, referral to treatment and rehabilitation, and the different advocacy programs being implemented nationwide that encourage PWUDs to undergo treatment and rehabilitation, as evidenced by thirty-five percent (35.05%) of voluntary submission and around twenty-eight percent (27.71%) cases who availed of plea bargaining.    

Demographic profile 

The center admissions consist of ninety-two percent (91.74%) males, around eight percent (7.70%) females, and less than one percent (0.56%) LGBT.  With the increase in admission, the ratio also changed from 11:1 to a male-to-female ratio of 12:1.  The higher number of males in rehabilitation centers may be attributable to societal expectations and gender stereotypes in the Philippines, where men are expected to be the primary breadwinners and providers for their families.  This can lead to high levels of stress and pressure, making them vulnerable to drug use.  Men may also be driven to engage in risky behaviors to prove their masculinity or toughness.  These factors could contribute to an increased likelihood of substance abuse and addiction among men.  

Given the government’s efforts on creating awareness, emphasizing drug treatment and rehabilitation program, to include after-care and social reintegration, more and more male PWUDs are now seeking treatment.  However, a heightened advocacy campaign should be undertaken to urge more female PWUDs to go for the appropriate treatment interventions.  

For the year under review, the youngest admission is 12 while the most senior is 68.  Most of the admissions belong to the age group of 40 and above, with thirty percent (30.49%) of the reported cases.  The computed mean and median are 35 years old. 

 More than half (52.07%) are single, and about a fourth (23.26%) are married; those who have live-in partners comprised twenty percent (19.87%), and the rest, nearly five percent (4.80%) are either widow/er, separated, divorced, or annulled.  

 As to educational attainment, almost a third (26.96%) have attained high school. On the second spot are those who have reached college, with nineteen percent (19.49%) followed by those who have graduated high school, with about eighteen percent (17.53%). 

 The monthly family income is approximately thirteen thousand pesos (Php 13,201.05) or about two hundred thirty-seven US dollars (US$237.60). 

Regarding the status of employment, those employed (either workers/employees or people in business and self-employed) comprised fifty-eight percent (57.90%) while unemployed comprised thirty-eight percent (37.88%). Three percent (3.46%) of the admission constitute students, and less than one percent (0.58%) are out-of-school youth while a few (0.18%) were pensioners. With the consistent trend of drug use among the employed, a greater emphasis on the promotion of drug-free workplace is imperative. 

 Twenty-six percent (26.11%) of reported cases are residents of the National Capital Region, while thirteen percent (12.93%) are from Region IV-A.   

 Considering the age at first drug use, forty-two percent (41.96%) belong to ages 15 to 19 years old.  Thirty-nine percent (39.04%) admitted to having taken drugs two (2) to five (5) times a week, twenty-six percent (26.27%) monthly, and almost nineteen percent (18.73%) weekly. 

Most Commonly Abused Drugs 

Methamphetamine Hydrochloride or “Shabu” remains the leading drug of abuse, comprising around ninety-three percent (92.77%) of the total admissions. This is followed by Cannabis (Marijuana) at twenty-eight percent (28.25%) and on the third by Cocaine at less than one percent (0.61%).  It seems that cocaine, as a local drug of abuse, is gaining popularity, as evidenced by the increase in seizures by or drug law enforcers, which tends to show that there is a demand within the illicit local market. 

According to the 2023 WDR by the United Nations on Drugs and Crime, the global community is experiencing a persistent surge in both the supply and demand of cocaine; this is being felt across the globe and is likely to hasten the development of new markets.  However, the same report shows a very low build-up in the Asian Region compared to the other regions.  

 Mono-drug use is still the nature of drug-taking; the administration routes are inhalation/sniffing and oral ingestion.