BACOLOD City – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) plans to initially assist 30 clients for its proposed Balay Silangan reformation center in this capital city.
PDEA director II Donelyn Hemedez presented the details of the program during a consultation-dialogue with the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council at the Bacolod City Government Center.
Hemedez asked the city government to provide a facility to accommodate drug surrenderers selected to undergo a three-month in-house reformation program, which will have three phases.
Phase 1 will cover education, particularly focusing on Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, while Phase 2 is for self-help and life support skills. Phase 3 will be for the provision of livelihood assistance.
Leonardia expressed the city government’s interest in hosting the Balay Silangan pilot site in the Visayas but raised concerns on the funding.
“The desire is there. The spirit is there. The pocket is weak,” he said.
The mayor is considering to tap the private sector – like the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints – to lend a facility for the Balay Silangan.
Bacolod is also planning to build its own drug rehabilitation center at the city-owned lot in Barangay Alijis.
The proposed site development for the 50-bed facility worth P32.3 million was also presented by the City Engineer’s Office during the consultation-dialogue.
Balay Silangan is a national drug reformation program that offers temporary refuge, with the objective of reforming drug offenders into self-sufficient and law-abiding members of society.
There are currently three Balay Silangan reformation centers in the country – in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija for Luzon, Caloocan City for the National Capital Region, and Malungon, Sarangani for Mindanao. (With a report from PNA/PN)
