LINGAYEN, Pangasinan February 04 – Governor Amado I. Espino III formally signed and received from the Cabiles family the deed of donation of a two-hectare lot intended as the site of drug rehabilitation center of Pangasinan.
The deed of donation was signed by former Burgos Vice Mayor Belen Cabiles and her son, Atty. Aldrin Cabiles in a simple ceremony at the Office of the Governor in the Provincial Capitol building recently.
Made possible by virtue of Provincial Resolution No. 275-2016 which was approved by the provincial board last November, the lot “can be used primarily by the province as a venue for rehabilitation center in order to cater to and respond to the needs of those who are to undergo treatment and change their old ways of drug dependency, to being drug free and go back to the normal society.”
Feeling relieved, Gov. Espino said the project which was long overdue will finally be realized after two decades.
The Governor expressed optimism over the project as he further thanked the Cabiles family for their generosity.
Also signing the Deed of Donation as witnesses were Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. and Burgos Mayor Alberto P. Guiang, Jr.
Gov. Espino stressed that the project which has an initial funding requirements of over P8 million for the construction of the building and the perimeter fence is envisioned to cater to some 200 drug surrenderees per batch for four days.
As a backgrounder, the Cabiles family led by the late Burgos Mayor Demetrio Cabiles has long been willing to donate the property located in Barangay San Vicente in Burgos town for the sole purpose of constructing a rehabilitation center in that area.
Way back in 1988, an ad hoc committee was created to study the feasibility study of establishing a drug rehabilitation center of the province but due to setbacks to include opposition, the project did not materialize.
In 1992, SP Resolution No. 48 was crafted authorizing then Governor Aguedo F. Agbayani to accept the donation. However, the donation was not completed because the deed of donation was not signed by then Governor Agbayani.
It was stated in the deed that if the rehab center does not materialize within three years upon the document’s execution, the property would be returned to the Cabiles family without needing any authority, clearance, judicial action or power. Thus, the project was shelved.
Initial talk was spearheaded by Gov. Espino during the early months of his term as provincial chief executive with the officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the planned utilization of the Camp Tito Abat in Manaoag town. The project however did not push through.
In spite of this, Gov. Espino said he will try to tap the support of the reservists to possibly assist in the project.
Meanwhile, Atty. Cabiles disclosed that his family is more than happy to donate the lot which he noted as an ideal place for the drug surrenderees to stay because of its peaceful environment.
Expressing his full support to the national government’s war on drugs, Gov. Espino said the project will serve as a haven for those who wish to return to their normal lives citing however, that the rehab center will not cater to hard core drug users as President Rodrigo Duterte has already established a rehab center in Nueva Ecija for them.
In addition, Gov. Espino noted that over 70 percent of Pangasinan are now cleared of illegal drugs based on reports gathered by the Philippine National Police (PNP) provincial office whereby weekly report is submitted to his office.
As a sign of grateful recognition by the provincial government, the provincial board headed by Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. awarded a copy of an approved resolution during its regular session thanking the Cabiles family for their generosity and strong support to the anti-drug campaign of the provincial government which is in parallel with the Duterte administration’s thrust.
By Dexter A. See