SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique—The old building of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Hamtic, Antique, is being eyed to be used as Bahay Silangan, or rehabilitation center for drug offenders in the province.
The provincial government of Antique and the municipal government of Hamtic are willing to support the establishment of the Bahay Silangan at the old DepEd building in front of Hamtic plaza and the Roman Catholic Church, Antique Gov. Rhodora J. Cadiao said in a media interview recently.
DepEd District currently has a new building in the nearby area.
“The provincial government of Antique is willing to help in the establishment of the Bahay Silangan if the PDEA [Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency] will request just so the province could be declared drug-cleared,” she said.
Margie Gadian, Antique provincial government consultant for Peace and Order and Public Safety, said in a separate interview that having the Bahay Silangan is a requirement for the province to be declared drug-cleared.
Cadiao also said that Antique, which has a total of 590 barangays, now has only 20 barangays remaining to be declared clear of drugs.
It is the Regional Oversight Committee composed of PDEA, Philippine National Police, and the Departments of Health, and of the Interior and Local Government that conducts validation of the barangays, for their eventual declaration.
The remaining barangays to be declared drug-free are in the municipalities of Caluya, Culasi, Hamtic, San Jose de Buenavista and Tibiao.
Annabel Consuelo Petinglay/PNA
Image credits: Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay/PNA