June 6, 2024

Mayor Marvin Malacon led the inauguration of the Balay Silangan Reformation Center, located at the Tumandok Village in Barangay Sto. Niño E. B. Magalona, at rites today [June 6].

Balay Silangan is a community-based reformation program aimed at rehabilitating surrendered drug personalities across the country. The program builds temporary shelters for drug offenders with the objective of reforming them into self-sufficient and law-abiding members of society.

Joining the mayor were Director Marjorie Ballesteros, assistant regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency – Western Visayas (PDEA-6), who represented Director Melvin Estoque, acting regional director of PDEA-6; and Police Lt. Col. Ariel Pico, deputy provincial director for Administration of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOcPPO).

Malacon and Ballesteros signed the memorandum of agreement, as this reformation center will be operated by the Municipal Government of E. B. Magalona and PDEA-6.

Malacon, Ballesteros, Pico, Vice Mayor Eric Matulac, Police Lt. Col. Basman Macarangal Jr., company commander of the 1st Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company; Municipal Police Station chief of police Major Kenneth Jay Gratones, and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)- E. B. Magalona head Atty. Pierra Lamayo led the unveiling of marker of Balay Silangan.

They then signed the Manifesto of Commitment for the implementation of the reformation program of the Balay Silangan.

The Balay Silangan Reformation Center in E. B. Magalona is the 8th center in Negros Occidental and the 75th in Western Visayas, according to Ballesteros.

SECOND CHANCES

In his message, Malacon said he is glad that the Municipality now has this kind of facility, because this is all about reformation and giving second chances to drug offenders and surrenderers.

Let us give second chances to our young people who have turned to illegal drugs maybe because of poverty, and let us make them productive members of our society by offering them livelihood opportunities, the mayor added.

Malacon also enjoined all agencies involved in drug reformation program to make the Balay Silangan operations in E. B. Magalona successful.

In her message, Ballesteros said, “Ang Balay Silangan ay isang tahanan ng pag-asa… Tayong lahat ay may layuning mabigyan ng pagkakataon ang ating mga kababayan na magbagong-buhay.”

“Balay Silangan provides alternative intervention for individuals, offering livelihood training, after-care and community reintegration programs through coordinated efforts among the local government units, the national government, and the private sector,” she added.

Municipal Engineer Eddie Junsay Jr. said the reformation center sits on a 313-square-meter lot, with eight units measuring 25 square meters each, and each unit has one room and a comfort room.

The whole facility has an open space measuring 16 meters x 3 meters, he added.

Joining the ceremony were Sangguniang Bayan Members Gilda Parcon, Gelita Parcon, Reylan Gamboa Sr., and Joey Pugales, Executive Assistant Matthew Louis Malacon, and Sto. Niño Punong Barangay Romulo Villanueva.

Also gracing the occasion were Investigation Agent Jeanette Reyes, assistant provincial officer of PDEA Negros Occidental; Annie Abellar, chief of Probation and Parole Office in Victorias City; Jail Senior Inspector Abiding Basilan, officer-in-charge of National Jail Management and Penology Training Institute Visayas Off-Campus located in Barangay Alicante E. B. Magalona; and Ernesto Duremdes, supervising specialist of TESDA-Negros Occidental Provincial Office.

Also from E. B. Magalona were BFP municipal fire marshal SFO3 Marc Stephen Trajeras, Municipal Health Officer Dr. Edmundo Janeo Jr., Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office head Emy Lyn Hibionada, Rev. Fr. Ernie Larida, parish priest of St. Joseph the Worker Parish, and Siern Pellejo, representing the DepEd District of E. B. Magalona.*

-E. B. MAGALONA PIO