By Leilanie Adriano
LAOAG CITY – A new center for drug reformists has been inaugurated in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte as the municipality inches forward to be declared drug-free town.
Located in Barangay Tarrag, the new Bahay Silangan reformation center — blessed and inaugurated on Tuesday — is the 15th of its kind in the province.
The facility will initially cater to at least three reformists who will undergo community-based rehabilitation program.
In an interview, Rose Ingrid Ramos, focal person of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program, said the three were among the 217 persons on Pagudpud’s drug watchlist in 2020, many of whom had already graduated from the program.
Based on the guidelines of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the establishment of a reformation center is one of the steps for the municipality to attain a drug-free status.
Five years ago, Pagudpud Mayor Rafael Ralph Benemerito II tapped one of the town’s beach resorts in Barangay Burayoc as a temporary reformation center for former drug dependents.
Locally known as “Kanlungan ni Kuya” (Big Brother’s Shelter), the center aimed to provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals seeking to rebuild their lives away from the influence of prohibited drugs.
With the establishment of a new permanent reformation center, Benemerito said he is hoping that drug reformists can learn various skills with the help of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
Backing this move, TESDA Ilocos Norte provincial director Socorro Galanto told the Philippine News Agency that the agency is ready to provide the needed skills training to all sectors, including drug reformists.
“Through this partnership, TESDA stands firm in its mission to bring skills training and livelihood opportunities to all sectors of society, including our brothers and sisters who are in the process of reformation and reintegration,” Galanto said.
“We believe that technical education is not only a tool for employment but also a pathway for healing, empowerment, and transformation.”
A memorandum of agreement and manifesto of commitment were also signed during Tuesday’s inauguration and blessing, participated in by local officials, various government agencies, and members of the parish pastoral council, among others. (PNA)
