The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has urged the municipality of Brooke’s Point to establish a drug rehabilitation facility to assist drug surrenderees.
The PDEA, in a visit Tuesday, proposed a community-based reformation program called “Bahay Silangan.”
PDEA agent R. Catain, the Barangay Drugs Council (BDC) officer in charge of Palawan, said they are pushing for Brooke’s Point to have a Bahay Silangan because it has a regional trial court (RTC) that hears illegal drugs cases.
They said Bahay Silangan will help Brooke’s Point residents who have been involved in drugs be reformed and become productive members of society.
A PDEA agent pointed out that Brooke’s Point’s RTC 165 calls for the need for a temporary shelter for those whose cases are still on trial.
“Dapat ay mayroong Bahay Silangan dito sa bayan ng Brooke’s Point dahil nandito na sa inyo ang RTC 165. Ang kailangan lamang ay ang suporta ng lokal na pamahalaan sa programa,” agent Rose added.
The PDEA team met with Brooke’s Point mayor Mary Jean Feliciano who offered the old Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) building for the purpose of the program.
“Pwede nilang gamitin ang building ng dating BJMP upang gawing Bahay Silangan para mas madaling masimulan ang programa at hindi rin masayang ang istruktura,” Feliciano said during the meeting on August 13.
She said the building can be rehabilitated to serve as temporary shelter to drug offenders who can be reformed to become law-abiding residents of their municipality.
Also present during the meeting were Brooke’s Point disaster risk reduction management officer II Cecilia Castelar, municipal social welfare and development officer Gloria Ojas, and P/Capt. Dhayrius Redondo, the municipal chief of police.
The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation Number 2, Series of 2018 which was approved and adopted on January 24, 2018, laid the groundwork of “Balay Silangan”.
General interventions like continuing education and health awareness, and psychological, spiritual, physical activities such as counseling, moral recovery, values formation, personal and life skills, among others, are provided under the program.
Livelihood and skills training programs which include soap making, massage training, basic carpentry, welding, hair-cutting, etc., are likewise provided to give reformers employment opportunities.
