Ebenezer Daryl Manzano, chief of the Mandaue City Substance Abuse and Prevention Office (MCSAPO), told SunStar Cebu on Saturday, July 29, 2023, that they discussed the establishment of a “Bahay Silangan” during a meeting with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 and the the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) 7 on Wednesday, July 26.
Balay Silangan is a program introduced by PDEA under the supervision of the DILG, which aims to adopt a family-based in-house reformation by giving intervention, counseling and livelihood to help drug offenders become productive and law-abiding citizens upon reintegration into society.
Manzano said they will renovate the old Department of General Services building in Barangay Basak to house the facility.
He said they have identified 194 drug surrenderers who will undergo the Balay Silangan program once the facility opens before the year ends.
“They will stay there (facility) for a one-month mandatory in-house stay, which will be funded by the Mandaue City government,” said Manzano.
He said this is one of their approaches to combating the presence of illegal drugs and producing more drug-cleared barangays in the city.
The Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing and the PDEA have cleared 10 of Mandaue City’s 27 barangays.
These are Barangays Subangdaku, Bakilid, Tabok, Labogon, Tipolo, Canduman, Casuntingan, Paknaan, Maguikay and Mantuyong. (HIC WITH PR)