DAGUPAN’S Balay Silangan, a reformation center for confessed drug offenders who want to seek a new life without drugs, opened on Friday in a ceremony led by Mayor Belen Fernandez, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Regional Director Joel Plaza, and P/Lt. Colonel Brendon Palisoc, city police chief.

Located on a refurbished building of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) on A.B. Fernandez  Avenue West in Barangay Poblacion Oeste is the 9th Balay Silangan in Pangasinan and the 48th in the Region 1.

Mayor Fernandez said there are six drug offenders who comprised the first batch of reformists that will be trained by the Balay Silangan over a one-month rehabilitation program. They are from Barangays Bologna, Lasip Grande, Carael, Salapingao, Malued and Herero-Perez.=

The CSWDO, will run the facility with the help of PDEA, DILG, PNP, the Region 1 Drug Rehabilitation Center  and  Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) to develop the reformists engage in livelihood projects.

Fernandez said the families of the six batch of reformists received food packs and an additional P10,000 each soon  while their family members are undergoing one-month rehabilitation.=

“Our only desire is to see these reformists turn a new leaf shortly after their rehabilitation,” Fernandez told newsmen.

She said that those who comprised the first batch of reformists were those who voluntarily surrendered to their respective barangay captains, and she urged other barangay captains to do the same so that more drug pushers and users in the city will be rehabilitated. (Leonardo Micua)

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