GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Twenty former drug “offenders” in the Saragani town of Malungon graduated on Tuesday from the Balay Silangan reformation program of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Naravy Duquiatan, PDEA-12 acting regional director, said Wednesday the surrenderers completed a three-month reformation program jointly implemented by the agency, municipal government, and other partner-agencies.
Duquiatan said the graduates were the first batch of surrenderers from the area that took part in the pilot reformation program.
Malungon’s Balay Silangan, which opened on May, was the first-ever facility that catered to the program.
Duquiatan said Balay Silangan — a pet project of PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino — is a national drug reformation program that offers temporary refuge, with the objective of reforming drug offenders into self-sufficient and law-abiding members of society.
Under the program, Duquiatan said the surrenderers underwent interventions such as continuing education and health awareness; psychological, spiritual, and physical activities; and livelihood and skills training program.
“These interventions sought to mold them to become productive and law-abiding citizens,” she said.
The graduates received their certificates of completion in a ceremony attended by incoming PDEA Deputy Director General for Administration Ricardo Santiago.
Santiago currently heads the agency’s Preventive Education and Community Involvement Service.
Duquiatan said the surrenderers also trained on welding, facilitated by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
Fruit giant Dole Philippines, a program partner, is expected to hire some of the graduates. (PNA)
