Policy Mismatches in Government-Run Drug Rehabilitation Centers in The Greater Capital Region: A Narrative Analysis of Frontline Rehabilitation Workers' Lived Experiences

Proponent/s Name/s (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)

• Janelle Beatrice Tan Chua, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow
• Ysabel Gabriela Briones Valenzuela, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow
• Beverly Jane Tan Villanueva, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow
• Zoe Madison Contreras Zamora, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow

Document Types

Paper Presentation

Research Theme (for Paper Presentation and Poster Presentation submissions only)

Socio-Economic and Political Landscape (SPL)

School Name

De La Salle University, Manila

Track or Strand

Humanities and Social Science (HUMSS)

Research Advisor (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)

Maddela, Kevin John A.

Start Date

25-6-2026 10:30 AM

End Date

25-6-2026 12:00 PM

Zoom Link/ Room Assignment

Online - https://zoom.us/j/94569671692?pwd=Fj3c3ELOebE6QbqbJOOH9wMuildoEc.1 Meeting ID: 945 6967 1692 | Passcode: research

Abstract/Executive Summary

Despite the significant number of drug abuse cases and drug rehabilitation centers in the Philippines, drug addiction is not recognized as a relapsing disease in national policies, and Frontline Rehabilitation Workers often encounter a punitive mindset heavily influenced by the period of “war on drugs.” This study addressed the gap in existing literature, as most research on drug rehabilitation in the country focuses on Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Programs and primarily centers on the perspectives of Persons Who Use Drugs (PWUDs). This study investigated the gap between drug rehabilitation policies and actual practices in government-run Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers in the Greater Capital Region, Philippines, through the narratives of Frontline Rehabilitation Workers. Semi-structured interviews with Frontline Rehabilitation Workers, such as social workers, psychometricians, and counselors, were conducted to examine the institutional practices and experiences through thematic narrative analysis. The paper additionally applied Lipsky’s Street-Level Bureaucracy to further analyze how Frontline Rehabilitation Workers interpret policies, exercise professional discretion, and navigate ambiguities within the workplace and legal systems. The findings suggest that policy mismatches manifest in ethical dilemmas, moral improvisation, and discretionary practices that deviate from formal protocols. Frontline Rehabilitation Workers develop informal practices to better address the clients’ individual needs. These results hold substantial relevance towards the current policies and practices, highlighting the need for structural reforms in resource allocation, the formal institutional recognition of addiction as a chronic, relapsing condition, and the reassessment of existing operational guidelines to support Frontline Rehabilitation Workers and enhance rehabilitation outcomes for PWUDs.

Keywords

policy mismatches; drug rehabilitation; narrative analysis; discretion; government rehabilitation

Initial Consent for Publication

yes

Statement of Originality

yes