The new Bahay Pag-asa Reformation Center for women located at Camp Tomas J.
Pepito, Sto. Domingo in Angeles City has formally opened on September 1.
According to Angeles City Police Office (ACPO) Chief Sr. Supt. Sidney Villaflor, the reformation center is built for the female victims of drug abuse in the city.
The drug dependents will have a physical evaluation and mental examination before undergoing the program which will last for one month.
“This program aims to give a new beginning for the drug victims where they will be provided with emotional and mental counseling. This center is not a rehabilitation center but a home for reformation,” Villaflor said.
For his part, Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan plans to extend the facility by adding more buildings to accommodate more victims.
“We are planning to build more centers here in the camp to help these victims have their second chance at life. The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) will provide social workers and doctors for the counseling of the victims,” Pamintuan said.
Pamintuan also plans to construct additional edifices to decongest the existing City Jail because of the state of the inmates cramped by lack of space.
The mayor is also eyeing to provide employment and livelihood opportunities to the victims who would participate and do well in the program.
“There is really a need to construct additional facilities to entertain the growing number of prisoners in our city jail. Not for them to just be confined but, to facilitate more rehabilitation and reformation programs for them,” Pamintuan added.
“The reason why they indulge in this kind of vice (drug addiction) is because of lack of opportunity to work. Poverty is the main root of these problems our country is facing now,” Pamintuan furthered.
On the other hand, Pamintuan extended his gratitude to the the Soroptimist organization, Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholic Anonymous, who helped him and the ACPO in building the reformation center.
He also congratulated the Villaflor for leading as the best Police Chief in the region and ACPO as one of the best police office in the country in the program “Tokhang”.
As the President of the Leagues of Cities of the Philippines, Pamintuan issued a memorandum that requires all the camps in the country to have a rehabilitation facility as per the directives of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Pamintuan is eyeing the newly established reformation center to be a “model facility” to other local government units.
Also present during the inauguration were Vice Mayor Bryan Matthew Nepomuceno, officers of the local police office, members of the Soroptimist INTL-AC chapter, local government employees and officials from the different villages in the city.