Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Psychology Department participates in development and launch of PH adapted UTC for substance use disorder

Emy Ruth Gianan, News, Communication Management Office

Globally recognized Universal Treatment Curriculum (UTC) for substance abuse disorder will be distributed to various universities in the country, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) included. Distribution of this new textbook and curriculum is part of a multiyear program titled “Enhancing Treatment and Prevention in the Philippines” sponsored by the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and in partnership with the Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Program (Colombo Plan) and the Philippines’ Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB). The launch was held virtually last April 14.

Noting its significant contribution to ensure a better understanding of substance abuse and addiction in the Philippines, Dr. John Mark Distor and Dr. Aimee Rose Arguelles-Manda of the PUP Psychology Department actively participated in the development of the UTC. They worked on the first chapter in the book, Physiology and Pharmacology. This explained the science of addition, outlined different psychoactive substances, and discussed family systems and social stigma.

Dr. Manda, an International Certified Addiction Professional III (Supervisory Level), was also part of the team who wrote Chapter 2: The Continuum of Care. Her 18-year experience in the field of substance addiction helped her extensively contribute and expound on the principles of recovery and the different factors that affect treatment outcome, nature of motivation, and continuing care. Writers were expected to provide local data and contextualize the contents of the book to be more applicable to the Philippine setting.

“I have always been keen to adapt Addiction Specialization in our Sintang Paaralan. Other universities have yet to offer this as part of their curriculum, and I believe that PUP can pioneer this. The Treatment and Prevention Curriculum can be integrated in our existing program and be considered as one of the Psychology Department’s niches. Producing graduates with this kind of specialization, who would actively advocate for drug use prevention and treatment, would be a great contribution of our university,” Dr. Manda shared in an email interview.

Over the course of the program, a total of 10 faculty members of the University’s Psychology Department joined the 10-day walk-through training of the UTC basic courses. The latest batch of participants, who also witnessed the UTC book launch, include Dr. Pricilla Marzan and Dr. Christopher Sasot. Together with Dr. Manda and Dr. Distor, Dr. Geraldine F. Santos, and Dr. Rodrigo Lopiga also served as first batch of participants in 2018. Instructors Timothy Morales, Elfie Samaniego, Krisette Romero, and Arianne Nachor joined the second batch in 2019.

The book covered eight (8) topics. This includes the following: Introduction to the Science of Addiction; Treatment for Substance Use Disorders; Common and Co-Occurring Mental and Medical Disorders; Basic Counselling Skills; Intake, Screening, Assessment, Treatment Planning and Documentation; Case Management; Crisis Intervention; and Ethics for Addiction Professionals. Each topic has been developed by a team of academic experts and professionals, two (2) of which came from PUP.

PUP is an active member of the International Consortium of Universities for Drug Demand Reduction (ICUDDR), while Dr. Manda represents the University as a certified education provider in the International Society for Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) given her international credential as addiction professional.

Psychology Department participates in development and launch of PH adapted UTC for substance use disorder
_{Photo source: Cruz, Kaithreen (2022, April 14). PH universities to receive UTC curriculum from US Embassy. The Manila Times. https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/04/14/campus-press/ph-universities-to-receive-utc-curriculum-from-us-embassy/1839990}

***Note: Dr. Aimee Rose Manda provided correspondence for this article. For more details about this project, you may visit the INL website or read this press release from the US Embassy in the Philippines.