DAGUPAN CITY (PIA) – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Pangasinan, in partnership with the Local Government Unit of Manaoag is set to open a new Balay Silangan Reformation Center in the municipality on April 19.
PDEA Pangasinan Provincial Director Rechie Camacho said the Balay Silangan, which is located at the Barangay Pugaro in Manaoag town, is the ninth reformation center in the province that aims to reform street-level drug pusher into self-sufficient and law-abiding members of the community.
“Dito po sa loob ng Balay Silangan hindi po itinuturing na mga bilanggo ang ating mga clients dito kung saan maraming activities na ginagawa upang sila ay ma-reform upang pagbalik sa community ay maging kapakinapakinabang na silang mamamayan,” said Camacho.
He said clients are limited to drug personalities who are street-level pushers and users who are forced to resort to drug peddling due to poverty.
“Hindi po kasama sa mga kini-cater natin sa Balay Silangan ang mga high-value target individuals o mga suppliers or source ng illegal na droga na malakas magbenta na minomonitor at ini-entrap natin sa mga operations,” Camacho said.
Camacho said all clients of the Balay Silangan will undergo a one-month mandatory in-house reformation program on health, education, psychosocial and physical activities.
He said those who will complete the one-month mandatory in-house reformation program will proceed to the two-month livelihood or employment phase.
"Kaya naman iba't ibang sangay ng gobyerno ang nagtutulungan para po sa pag-reform sa ating mga enrollees kung saan tinuturuan sila kung ano ba ang mga masasamang epekto ng droga at syempre binibigyan din sila ng kakayahan o training skills upang magkaroon sila ng panibagong ikabubuhay na malayo sa kinaugalian nilang pagbebenta ng illegal na droga," said Camacho.
He said there will be 38 pushers who will be enrolled in Manaoag Balay Silangan Reformation Center.
In Pangasinan, Camacho said LGUs with established Balay Silangan are towns of Asingan, Balungao, Basista, San Fabian, Sison, Umingan, and cities of San Carlos and Dagupan.
He said LGUs that committed to have a Balay Silangan in their municipality soon are towns of Agno, Dasol, Bani, Infanta, Binalonan, San Jacinto, Bolinao and Bautista.
He said the establishment of the Balay Silangan is required of every local government unit (LGU) in the entire country to attain the drug-cleared status based on the Dangerous Drug Board (DDB) Regulation No. 2, series of 2018. (JCR/MJTAB/EMSA/JMP PIA Pangasinan)
