DAVAO CITY - Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte led the ground breaking ceremony of the Davao City Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for drug dependents on Tuesday.

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) chair Andrea Domingo, Chair and President of Travellers International Group Kingson Sian, Department of Health (DOH) Assistant Secretary for Mindanao Dr. Abdullah Dumama Jr. and other personnel of Cultural Foundation Heritage of Resorts World Philippines were among those who attended the event.

The world-class rehabilitation center, which is jointly funded by Resorts World Manila and PAGCOR, will be built on a 1.9 hectare property in Barangay Malagos, Baguio District in Davao City.

This will complement the existing drug rehabilitation center in Bago Oshiro in Davao which has a maximum capacity of 100 people.

The P350 million rehabilitation center has a floor plan of seven thousand square meters. It will have 224 beds, dining area and a visiting area pavilion.

"Davao first kasi this is where it all started. We want to set a strong message that we in the private sector are hand in hand in support in government's effort to eradicate this problem," Sian said.

According to Duterte, the city government of Davao is working with the DOH to plan the operation of the rehabilitation center.

"We have one year to prepare, we need to sit down with the Department of Health because I think we need help for the budget for the operations every year," she said.

Domingo said the construction of the rehabilitation center will be finished by December 2017.