The ongoing construction of the city’s “Balay Silangan” building in Barangay Pasonanca is now 80% completed and the City Health Office has already proposed the staffing pattern and other requirements for the subsequent operation and maintenance of the P10-million drug reformatory and rehabilitation facility.
This was reported during the 1st quarter meeting of the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) recently at City Hall Conference Room with Mayor John Dalipe presiding.
Preparations are also underway for ZCADAC’s benchmarking with Balay Silangan in Davao City, and the training of staff, who will man the facility’s operation once its construction is completed hopefully by October this year.
Balay Silangan is viewed as an alternative approach to address illegal drug use and help drug offenders or dependents become self-sufficient and law-abiding members of the community.
In line with his administration’s relentless campaign against illegal drugs in the city, Mayor Dalipe has instructed for the speedy completion and eventual operation of Balay Silangan even as he challenged law enforcers to intensify and sustain their anti-illegal drugs operations.
Meanwhile, the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) reported that the 127 anti-illegal drugs operations conducted from January 1 to March 30, this year had resulted in the arrest of 159 drug offenders.
Of the total arrests, 34 were made in January, 50 in February and 68 in March.
The operations also yielded 619.9806 grams of suspected shabu valued at P4.216 million, 6.7065 grams of marijuana amounting to P234,000 and six firearms.
On the other hand, the Barangay Drug Clearing operations continue with 20 of the city’s 98 barangays have so far been declared as “drug-cleared.” The target was to increase by 25% the number of drug-cleared barangays. (Vic Larato, photo courtesy by Kathy Wee Sit)
(Source: City Government of Zamboanga Facebook page)