ANGELES CITY -- Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan recently led the inauguration of the city's drug rehabilitation facility under the local government's program to help residents addicted with illegal drugs.
The facility, called Bahay Pagbabago, is a joint project of the local government and the Angeles City Police Office (Acpo).
The project is aimed at helping drug surrenderers and dependents recover from the illegal vice.
The facility, located at the Camp Tomas J. Pepito in Barangay Sto. Domingo, is the city’ answer to President Rodrigo Duterte's call to rid the country of illegal drugs.
Duterte recently urged and tapped the barangays in accelerating the drive against drug abuse and trafficking.
The community-based program will be run by the Angeles City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Acadac) and Acpo, with the support from various non-government organizations and religious organizations.
Participants under the program will undergo a 30-day rehabilitation program, which includes proper guidance and counseling, 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. The facility is part of the city’s fight against illegal drugs," Pamintuan said.
“As we help our people heal and recover, we are also helping our city in obtaining peace and securing safety to the people,” he added.
Police Senior Superintendent Enrico Vargas attributed the 42 percent drop of crime volume 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,” Vargas said.
Under the Pamintuan leadership, the local government has been receiving numerous citations from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
The city was cited for having 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.