THE provincial government, in partnership with law enforcement and other line agencies, will join hands in building a better community for drug surrenderees in the province.

The collaborative efforts were strengthened with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on December 7 at the Pangasinan Drug Reformation Center in San Vicente, Burgos town for the accreditation of the facility as Pangasinan’s “Balay Silangan Reformation Center.”

Governor Ramon Guico III said the Balay Silangan Reformation Program is an opportunity for the province to help reform drug offenders as self-sufficient and law-abiding individuals.

“Balay Silangan” is a program launched by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to build temporary shelters for drug offenders. Reformatory in nature, the program is an alternative intervention for drug personalities who are not users and are not eligible to undergo medical treatment and rehabilitation in facilities supervised by the health department.

The Balay Silangan Reformation Program has various components such as: education and health; psychosocial and physical activities like counseling and consultative sessions; livelihood or employment education, which may be determined by local government units to include a green revolution program; soap making; massage training or reflexology; basic carpentry; basic welding and electrical; basic haircutting; food processing; and mushroom culture.

Along with Gov. Guico, the MOU was signed by the heads of the PDEA-Region 1, PNP-Pangasinan Police Office, Burgos Police Station, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Burgos, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Interior and Local Government-Provincial Office, Department of Education (DepEd)-Division Office, Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-Provincial Office, religious sector from Burgos town, and Rural Health Unit (RHU)-Burgos. (RRB/ PIMRO)