SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union, Jul 28 (PIA) - - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Regional Office I (PDEA-ROI) had opened formally a Balay Silangan in Solsona, Ilocos Norte, according to Regional Director Ronald Allan DG Ricardo.

Ricardo said that the facility inaugurated on July 21, 2022 was the 31st Balay Silangan Reformation Center in Region 1 that will cater  to the local drug reformists.

“The Balay Silangan Reformation Center is a community-based reformation facility aimed to rehabilitate drug surrenderees and serves as temporary shelter provided by local government units and other stakeholders,” he said.

He said that general interventions like continuing education and health awareness; and psychological/spiritual/physical activities such as counseling, moral recovery, and values formation are provided in the facility.

Livelihood and skills training programs are also provided to the drug reformist to give employment opportunities upon leaving the center, which turn them into self-sufficient and responsible individuals.

The facility will cater to the 1st batch of 40 drug reformists to undergo the three phases of the three-month-long reformation program.

To strengthen the collaborative efforts in the operationalization of the facility, Ricardo said that a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was forged among the government agencies concerned and other stakeholders.

“The launching of the reformation center manifests the support and cooperation extended by the stakeholders, especially to the local government of Solsona, Ilocos Norte, thus, shows nothing is impossible to achieve as long as every agency works together”, Ricardo said. (JCR/FGL, PIA-1)