Mayor Sun J. Shimura and top officials from partner agencies led the groundbreaking ceremony and formal launching of the implementation of Balay Silangan Reformation Program today, March 2, 2020. Considered as the first drug reformation center to be managed by a local government unit within the province of Cebu, the 1,125 sq. m facility in Barangay Pajo will serve as temporary shelter for drug offenders with the aim of reforming them into self-sufficient and law-abiding members of the community.
Gracing the historic activity were Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-7 Regional Director Wardley M. Getalla; PDEA-7 Provincial Officer Milva Mojado; Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Provincial Director Jhoaden C. Lucero, DILG Regional Director Leocadio Trovela, and Cebu Provincial Director Police Colonel Roderick Deville Mariano. In full support were municipal and barangay officials, namely Vice Mayor Gilbert Arrabis Jr., Municipal Councilor Elver Abucay, ABC Pres. Mark Anthony Luche, Municipal Engineer Marina Arcenal, MSWD Officer Heidie Aplece, former Councilor Bredgitte Tancawan, MLGOO Grace Caburnay, MADAC Focal Grace Navarro, PNP Daanbantayan Chief of Police PCapt Ian Macatangay, barangay officials and other stakeholders.
The Balay Silangan program provides counseling, moral recovery, values formation, personal development, and livelihood and skills training programs to small-time pushers, voluntary surrenderers, and plea bargainers with the aim of reintegrating them into society to become productive citizens. The reformation center is situated at the 4-hectare land which is also site of the proposed government center for other facilities including the Evacuation Center, Slaughter House, and Techno-Demo Areas.
