ILOILO City – More drug pusher-surrenderers have been encouraged to enter Balay Silangan reformation centers in Western Visayas.
The region has two operational centers which opened last year – one in Tapaz, Capiz and the other in Passi City, Iloilo. They have produced the first batch of 19 and 18 “graduates”, respectively, in July, said Shey Tanaleon, spokesperson and information officer of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 6.
The next batch of 27 pusher-surrenderers are set to start their reformation in Passi City this Nov. 18 while an ongoing program in Tapaz has 29 enrollees.
Unlike community-based drug rehabilitation endeavors being overseen by local government units and police, Balay Silangan centers’ programs are more on reformation. Thus before enrollees can enter the centers, they have to undergo rehabilitation.
Those caught during anti-drug operations conducted by law enforcement officers shall face charges and are not eligible to enter Balay Silangan, clarified Tanaleon.
“The Balay Silangan reformation program aims to give second chance to pusher-surrenderers. Instead of locking them up in jails, our operatives and concerned agencies realize it would be better to reform them to become better citizens,” Tanaleon said, noting that it is also a requirement before barangays, where the pushers reside can be declared as drug-cleared.
Once they are inside Balay Silangan, the enrollees undergo various activities facilitated by the local government unit, PDEA, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and the religious sector.
To accommodate more drug pusher-surrenderers, more reformation centers are expected to become operational before 2019 ends.
A memorandum of agreement has been signed for the operation of a Balay Silangan in Miag-ao, Iloilo that will cater to pusher-surrenderers from the town, as well as nearby municipalities of Guimbal, Igbaras and Tubungan.
The Police Regional Office 6 has recorded 3,486 pusher-surrenderers (as of Nov. 5, 2019) since Oplan Tokhang was launched in Western Visayas on July 1, 2016. (PNA/PN)
