KALIBO, Aklan – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Western Visayas recently declared 304 villages in this province as “drug-cleared.”
These barangays passed the parameters of the government’s regional oversight committee which is composed of the Philippine National Police, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Health, PDEA, and the barangay and municipal councils.
For a village to be declared drug-free, they should meet the guidelines set by the Dangerous Drugs Board. These are:
* Non-availability of illegal drugs
* Absence of drug dens, pushers and users, protectors or financiers
* Absence of clandestine drug laboratories, warehouses, marijuana cultivation sites
* No drug transit or transshipment activity
* Active involvement of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials in anti-drug activities
* Conduct of drug awareness, preventive education and information campaign
* Operation of voluntary and compulsory drug treatment and rehabilitation processing desk
According to PDEA-6 director Alex Tablate, drug-clearing efforts of villages in Western Visayas never stopped as application of barangays to be cleared from drugs continues.
At least 3,098 out of 4,051 barangays in Western Visayas have reached drug-cleared status as of June 5, 2020.
“Under this new normal environment, we always welcome anything you could share in this relentless fight. Let us all remind everybody that we are not on the safe zones just yet,” Tablate stressed.
He added: “Just as we are taking steps to attain our goal of a drug-free Philippines, it is important for every citizen to continue the steps we have already taken to keep our community safe from the threat of illegal drugs.”
PDEA-Aklan continues their random checking operations at the Dumgauit port in New Washington town and at the Ceres terminal in this capital town to tighten security against drug activities amid modified general community quarantine.
“While the implementation of quarantine measures was loosened and businesses start to gradually operate again, our PDEA operatives increased our rally against illegal drugs,” Tablate said.(With a report from Akean Forum/PN)
