Bingawan town in Iloilo has been added to the list of dug-cleared municipalities in the province of Iloilo.
The municipality has complied with all the parameters and declared as “unaffected” by the Regional Oversight Committee (ROC), said Graziella Tanaleon, spokesperson and information officer of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA 6) on Friday, Dec. 20.
“The 14 villages in Bingawan has passed the deliberation of the ROC on Barangay Drug Clearing Program and complied with the parameters of the Dangerous Drugs Board No. 3 series of 2017 last February 19, 2018,” she said.
Bingawan town also opened on Friday its own New Balay Silangan Reformation Facility located at the Pineda-YMCA Youth Development Training and Livelihood Training Center.
Tanaleon said Balay Silangan can accommodate 20 pusher-surrenderers.
Although there were no identified drug personnel in Bingawan, Tanaleon said its neighboring town is still affected by drugs which can pose a challenge for Bingawan to maintain its drug-cleared status.
“Drug personalities are mobile, and as said by our regional director Alex Tablate, the village officials should remain vigilant against new personalities entering the town,” she said.
For the meantime, as Bingawan’s Balay Silangan does not have any clients, Tanaleon said it will serve as a training and livelihood center for Bingawan locals.
Bingawan town was the fifth to be declared drug-cleared in Iloilo. Earlier declared the same are the towns of Miagao on November 20, Passi City on November 21, Igbaras on Nov 22, Guimbal on November 28, and Dingle on December 16.PNA
