PEÑARRUBIA, Abra (PIA) – Construction of the P5 million Balay Silangan in the municipality of Peñarrubia kicked off during the opening of the town’s Pinaing Festival.
 
Mayor Jane Cecilia shared that the building  funded by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) will rise in a lot donated by the municipal government. It will serve as a rehabilitation facility for People Who Use Drugs (PWUD).

“This is going to be a Balay Silangan for Abra, so it is open for the whole province since it is funded by the DDB. Ito is for the rehabilitation of yung mga nalihis ng landas na napunta into prohibited drugs,” the mayort said. 

 
This Balay Silangan will have a recreation area, bedrooms, kitchen, and other necessary facilities. It  will serve as a temporary shelter for the rehabilitation of people who use  illegal drugs. This aims to reform drug offenders into self-sufficient and law-abiding members of society.

The facility will be managed by the Peñarrubia municipal government including the hiring of man power and funding the logistics
 

Cecilia  explained that although the municipality has three drug-free and six drug-cleared barangays, a rehabilitation facility is  needed  not only for Peñarrubia, but for the province to  assist PWUDs in the future.
 
“It’s a reality na problema ng lahat ng lugar iyan and we have had problems and concerns before, but at least with this, we are ready if we need to admit individuals in the future,” she said.
 
This community-based drug rehabilitation facility and program is a partnership of the local governmentunit, the Department of Health, and the DDB to provide community-based treatment and support services for PWUDs as an essential part of a continuum of care for PWUDs.(JDP/JJPM-PIA CAR, Abra)