By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – The seventh Balay Silangan Reformation Center in Negros Occidental was unveiled in Silay City last Wednesday.
Melvin Suarez Estoque, acting regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-6, and Mayor Joedith Gallego led the inauguration of the facility situated at the City Engineer’s Compound, Zamora Street, Barangay Mambulac.
Gallego said this facility aims to help drug pushers reform and start anew. He stated that participants will undergo skills training and be educated about the effects of illegal drugs to prevent them from re-engaging in such activities.
The establishment of this facility aligns with Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation No. 2, series of 2018, titled “Balay Silangan – Guidelines for Community Involvement in Reforming Drug Offenders into Self-Sufficient and Law-Abiding Members of Society.”
This is the 74th Balay Silangan facility in Western Visayas. According to PDEA-6, other areas in the province with Balay Silangan facilities include the towns of Pulupandan, Hinoba-an, Don Salvador Benedicto, Cauayan, and the cities of Sipalay and Victorias.
Gallego mentioned that 16 barangays in the city have been cleared of illegal drugs, but some individuals continue to engage in illegal activities. Despite this, he said the police and barangay officials continue their intensified campaign against illegal drugs.
When asked about the recent apprehension of some job order casual employees in the city for drug offenses, Gallego said these employees were aware of the consequences of their actions. He noted that they had been warned, but some still chose to commit offenses.
