ANGELES CITY – In pursuit of strengthening this city’s program on drug rehabilitation, the city government here and the Angeles City Police Office (ACPO) recently inaugurated ‘Bahay Pagbabago,’ a facility to help Angeleños struggling from substance abuse.
The ‘Bahay Pagbabago’ is a joint project of the local government and the ACPO, which aims to help drug surrenderees and drug dependents in the city to withdraw and recover from drug abuse.
The facility located at the Camp Tomas J. Pepito in Sto. Domingo is the city’ answer to the call of President Rodrigo Duterte to immediately address the country’s drug problem by tapping the barangays in the drive against drug abuse.
The community-based program will be run by the Angeles City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (ACADAC) and the ACPO, with the support from various non-government organizations and faith-based organizations.
Drug reformists will undergo a 30-day rehabilitation program, which includes the provision of proper guidance and counselling, education about drug addiction, health and wellness through physical activities, skills training, and various community service activities.
They will also be provided with a 15-day post-treatment service after the 30-day reformation cycle.
“We at the local government are doing our best to give people who fell into drug abuse a chance of changing their lives with our program,” said Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan citing the facility as part of the city’s fight against illegal drugs.
“As we help our people heal and recover, we are also helping our city in obtaining peace and securing safety to the people,” Pamintuan added.
Meanwhile, ACPO City Director PSSUPT. Enrico Vargas attributed the 42 percent drop of crime incidence in Angeles City to the continuing efforts of the ACADAC, the police force, and local government in the fight against illegal use of drugs.
“This reformation program is also under project TOKHANG which is the Philippine National Police (PNP) Nationwide Anti-Illegal Drugs Campaign Plan. This is our commitment in making Angeles a drug-free, secured and safe community,” the city chief of police said.
The city government has received accolades from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) citing the city with the Best Anti-Drug Abuse Council in the Philippines for two consecutive years in 2012 and 2013.
In 2014, ACADAC was named as the Best Anti-Drug Abuse Council in Central Luzon, the Most Active Anti-Drug Abuse Council in the Philippines in 2015, and PNP’s Most Active Partner on Drug Reformation of Surrenderees in 2016.