Personnel of the CLOSAP pose for a photo at the Balay Silangan drug rehab center in the Municipality of Bangar, La Union. | photo from Garry Lao
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu—Personnel from the City of Lapu-Lapu Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (CLOSAP) visited the Municipality of Bangar, La Union to learn about the best practices of the town in its drug rehabilitation program.
CLOSAP head Garry Lao said that they were sent by Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan to visit Bangar’s “Balay Silangan” Reformation Center, which is a community-based reformation program aimed at rehabilitating persons who use drugs (PWUDs).
Lao earlier said that the city is planning to build its own “Balay Silangan.”
The CLOSAP was allowed to immerse and interact with “Balay Silangan” workers and beneficiaries. They also observed some of the values formation and integrity sessions of the center.
“This immersion is very helpful to us as we come to know and learn about so many things in running Balay Silangan. By seeing it, it is challenging but we are committed to making it happen in Lapu-Lapu City,” Lao said.
Lao said that what is important is that the local government is able to provide support to drug offenders and a solution to the drug problem.
“We are thankful to Mayor Joy Pinzon Merin and Balay Silangan personnel for receiving us well and showing us how successful they’ve been running this facility,” Lao added.
Balay Silangan, the national drug reformation program established by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and implemented with the PNP and host LGUs, is a temporary refuge to reform drug offenders into self-sufficient and law-abiding members of society.
The PDEA had been pushing LGUs to provide services to surrendered drug offenders covering general interventions, such as continuing education and health awareness, psychological, spiritual and physical activities, counseling, moral recovery, values formation, personal and life skills, among others.
CLOSAP’s visit to Bangar started on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. They will stay until June 30.
/bmjo
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