Balay Silangan in Barangay Taptap in Cebu City. | Photo Courtesy of COSAP
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Balay Silangan, a reformation center for small-time drug pushers, has welcomed its first batch of clients at the Cebu City Resource Management and Development Center (Cremdec) facility in Barangay Taptap today, September 30, 2021.
John Jonah Rodriguez, the head of the City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP), said they finally launched the Balay Silangan in Barangay Taptap after they received a go signal from the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to resume their rehabilitation activities.
At least 30 drug pushers who are seeking to turn their lives around will be the first batch of clients that the Balay Silangan hopes to reform.
They will undergo three months of reformation through livelihood programs conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) will also help the pushers to reincorporate themselves into the communities drug-free.
Rodriguez notes that the Balay Silangan will serve as a reformation center, not a rehabilitation center, which means that drug pushers who are not users will be admitted here.
A separate rehabilitation program is conducted for drug users in the communities for six months.
The former drug pushers who will graduate from the rehabilitation program may apply for future batches of the reformation program at Balay Silangan.
“So kani atong Balay Silangan, tudluan nato atong small time pushers nga walay cases og other forms of livelihood. Dinhi makaexperience sila nga ang kwarta singtan gyod, dili lang kay easy money nalang pirmi,” said Rodriguez.
CREMDEC is expected to host Balay Silangan for at least six months to a year, after which, the city government should have built a permanent facility for rehabilitation and reformation center.
“Nalipay ta kay niingon si Konsehal Philip Zafra nga naay available funds para sa atong Balay Silangan ug gipdali na niya ang pagprocess sa mga papeles,” said Rodriguez.
COSAP hopes that the Balay Silangan reformation center would be the door for drug pushers to change for the better.
“Atong ipakita nga naay kinabuhi gawas ug layo sa droga,” added Rodriguez. /rcg
RELATED STORIES:
Cebu City’s Balay Silangan to open on Sept. 30
Cebu COSAP to strengthen rehabilitation of drug users and pushers