MALOLOS CITY – Rehabilitation centers, including a mansion formerly owned by a former bold star turned “shabu queen,” are now sprouting like mushrooms in the different towns and cities of Bulacan.
Since Monday, at least three more reformation centers otherwise known as “Bahay Pagbabago” were opened and became functional in Hagonoy, Guiguinto and in this historic capital city.
Acting Bulacan police director Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat Jr., said that provincial officials led by Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado and Vice Gov. Daniel Fernando, together with local executives, have been supportive in the all out war against illegal drugs and in helping dope victims to have new lease on life and become productive citizens anew.
At the “Bahay Pagbabago” in Barangay Ligas, Malolos City, Caramat has likened dope users to “walking time bombs,” ready to explode at any given time.
“Once you get hooked on shabu, it will just be a matter of time when you will steal or do something nefarious,” Caramat told 51 drug users who are now housed and being rehabilitated after surrendering to City Mayor Christian D. Natividad.
Natividad said that some 3,000 drug users and dealers have surrendered to him after feeling the heat induced by President Rodrigo Duterte’s no nonsense crusade to rid the country of the dope menace.
The city top executive said that with the big number of surrenderers, the city government will reform, detox and give new opportunity to them.
“We will help them through mental, physical, spiritual renewal and then give them means of livelihood after their rehabilitation,” Natividad said.
The mayor said that the city government will conduct jobs fair and will soon sign a MOA with industrial corporations in the city for the hiring of those who have undergone rehabilitation.
He said the new facility has 51 beds and will admit one each from the 51 barangays.
Last week, Natividad launched the “Tokhang Unity Games” as part of the rehabilitation program of the city government to make the dopesters physically fit again and at the same time detoxify them from long time of substance abuse.
In Guiguinto, Mayor Ambrosio “Boy” Cruz, Jr., said that 25 dopesters are now being reformed at the “Bahay Pagbabago” at a mansion formerly owned by arrested “drug queen” and former bold star Ecita Evora in Rosaryville, Barangay Sta. Cruz.
Evora was arrested by intelligence operatives of the Bulacan police then headed by now retired police General Richard Albano during the time of also now retired Gen. Noe Wong sometime in the 1990.
“It’s quite ironic that our “Bahay Pagbabago” was a former mansion owned by big time drug dealers. Now it will serve as a house of transformation for the better good,” Cruz said.
He said that since Duterte became President, some 600 drug users and pushers have surrendered to him.
In Hagonoy, Mayor Raulito “Amboy” Manlapaz led the opening of the Hagonoy Reformation Center.
Last month, PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa inaugurated the Bulacan police’s Reformation Center at the provincial PNP headquarters in Camp Gen. Alejo Santos./PNA/FPV/zst/EGGamos