MANILA — The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is set to help Balay Silangan drug surrenderers through livelihood and skills training.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron N. Aquino on Saturday said he already met with TESDA Deputy Director General Alvin Feliciano to discuss how TESDA can align its program with PDEA’s Balay Silangan reformation program.
“This is a big boost to our reformation program for drug surrenderers as they will be provided with skills training that will allow them to change their lives for the better,” Aquino said.
Providing skills that will help change the lives of drug surrenderers is also one of the priority programs of TESDA, he said.
“With the increasing number of drug surrenderers, TESDA’s support will go a long way in helping surrenderers rebuild their lives, turn them into self-sufficient, productive individuals and law-abiding members of society,” Aquino added.
The PDEA chief said that during the meeting, Feliciano expressed TESDA’s support to Balay Silangan and assured that their livelihood programs are aligned with the current administration thrust in reforming drug dependents.
PDEA initiated Balay Silangan Reformation Program under Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation Number 2, Series of 2018 approved on January 24, 2018.
As a reformation program, Balay Silangan delivers a holistic approach to reforming drug offenders into productive members of society.
Balay Silangan is built to give hope to surrendering drug offenders. With other partner agencies, Balay Silangan provide interventions like continuing education, counseling, moral recovery and health awareness, values formation and employment opportunities.
The first pilot project of Balay Silangan Reformation Program was launched on May 22, 2018 in Malungon Outpatient Reformatory and Treatment Center for Drug Dependents in Malungon Barangay Nagpan, Malungon, Sarangani.
It has 20 drug surrenderers as clients in cooperation with local government unit officials of Malungon, Sarangani headed by Mayor Maria Theresa D. Constantino.
Another Balay Silangan in Luzon was inaugurated on May 24, 2018 in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija in cooperation with the Cabanatuan City officials led by Mayor Julius Cesar V. Vergara as the second pilot project with 100 bed-capacity that could accommodate drug surrenders from nearby provinces and areas covered by Region 3.
The third pilot project is a 30-bed capacity Balay Silangan All-Female Reformation Center for Drug offenders located in North Camarin, Caloocan City which was inaugurated on May 30, 2018. (Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)
