REFORMATION PROGRAM. Drug-pusher surrenderers from several municipalities in Capiz complete their three-month reformation program in Tapaz Balay Silangan center on July 26, 2019. Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Western Visayas officer-in-charge Alex Tablate said that after graduation, they will be turned over to their respective municipal welfare and development offices for after-care. (PNA photo courtesy of PDEA 6)
ILOILO CITY -- The first batch of pusher-surrenderers in Western Visayas completed their three-month reformation program through the Balay Silangan centers in Tapaz, Capiz and Passi City, Iloilo.
Officer-in-charge Alex Tablate of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Western Visayas, in an interview Monday, said 19 pusher-surrenderers completed the program in Tapaz Balay Silangan center, while 18 were from the center in Passi City.
The centers started operations in April this year. A separate graduation program was held for the two centers on July 26.
“Balay Silangan program is a three-month reformation period; one month is a live-in intensive program and the last two months are stay out where they have trainings and other activities,” he said.
Tablate added that based on Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation No. 2 series of 2018, which refers to the Balay Silangan program, the graduates will be turned over to their respective municipal social welfare and development offices (MSWDOs) for the after-care program.
The Tapaz Balay Silangan caters to drug-pusher surrenderers from neighboring towns of Cuartero, Dumalag, Dumarao, Jamindan, Pan-ay, and Pilar.
Passi City meantime hosts pusher-surrenderers from towns of Calinog, Dueñas, Dingle, Pototan, and San Enrique.
“The aftercare is continuous. Our goal is for them not to go back to their old ways,” he stated.
Meanwhile, they are now in the process of discussing the next batch of drug-pusher surrenderers after graduation.
Apart from the two, the towns of Miagao, San Miguel, and Carles, all in Iloilo, are also expected to open their respective reformation centers before the year ends.
The town of Carles will be catering to drug pushers coming from the fifth district of the province of Iloilo.
There were also initial talks with provincial governments of Antique and Guimaras for the opening of their centers, while PDEA is yet to meet with officials of Aklan.
The Balay Silangan is necessary for local government units (LGUs) with moderately-affected barangays. Otherwise, the barangay will not be certified as drug-cleared.
“If all the barangays of the municipality have been declared as drug-cleared and they (drug-pusher surrenderers) have undergone the Balay Silangan, then the next step would be to declare also the municipality as drug-cleared by the Regional Oversight Committee,” he explained.
He clarified though that the DDB regulation number 3, series of 2017 that refers to the barangay drug clearing program does not talk about the declaration of drug-cleared municipality.
Balay Silangan is an offshoot of the concept of Bahay Pagbabago that was launched years back in Region 3. (PNA)
