LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu—The Lapu-Lapu City Government plans to build a a rehabilitation facility for drug dependents called the “Balay Silangan.”
Garry Lao, head of the City of Lapu-Lapu Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (CLOSAP), said that they will be going to Banggar in La Union on June 28 to 30, 2022, to visit their “Balay Silangan” facility and get some ideas on how to run the facility.
Banggar was the first to establish a “Balay Silangan” in the whole country.
“How they ran their Balay Silangan…That’s the first Balay Silangan in that region. Mao sad na’y first nga na-establish. There are others, but sila ang first naka-establish,” Lao said.
Earlier, the city government signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-7 and Hose of Hope, a private drug rehabilitation facility in Barangay Gun-ob.
Under the agreement, the city government will finance the admission of drug dependents to the House of Hope, while the PDEA will supervise the implementation.
However, Lao said that the program has not been implemented yet due to some legal concerns.
“Adto nato i-house ang atong mga client sa House of Hope kay ang House of Hope naa naman pod silay mga tawo pod para mo-man. Ang city government mo-finance lang, mobayad. Unya gustong tan-awon on the legality sa PDEA kay first time na,” Lao added.
Lao said that the City Legal Office and the legal of PDEA have already approved the MOA, but it still needs to pass the city council before they can start its implementation.
He added that he plans to allocate P1 million for the program this year.
Cebu City has a ‘Bahay Silangan’ situated in Barangay Taptap.
/bmjo
READ MORE:
Balay Silangan now open for reformation of drug pushers