BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – With over 60 percent of barangays in Negros Occidental yet to be cleared of illegal drugs, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson acknowledged the province’s antidrug campaign has “a long way to go.”
Citing the data from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Lacson revealed that only 222 or 36.94 percent of the province’s 601 barangays have been declared as drug-cleared as of this month.
Although the figures showed the campaign gaining ground, Lacson said there is more to be done.
He led Friday last week’s Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Summit 2021 where he recognized the progress made by PDEA-Negros Occidental.
Aiming for 70-percent drug-cleared barangays, Lacson urged stakeholders and other participants to use the activity as a venue to explore all the possibilities and the most effective strategies to eradicate illegal drugs in Negros Occidental.
The parameters barangays must meet to achieve a drug-cleared status are the following:
* 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
* rehabilitation of drug surrenderers
* 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
Earlier this month, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) said it exceeded its 2019 drug haul with the seizure of P27.4 million worth of illegal drugs in 2020.
Lieutenant Abegael Donasco, NOCPPO’s deputy public information officer, said P27,401,764.76 worth of illegal drugs was seized from January to December 2020, compared to the P16,673,536.456 worth of drugs confiscated in 2019.
Since March last year, the provincial police force conducted 656 anti-illegal drug operations despite the health crisis brought by the coronavirus disease 2019.
A total of 867 persons were arrested and 1,677 drug cases were filed in court.
For her part, Maria Calpiza Sardu, assistant director of the Department of Interior and Local Government Region 6, said the problem of illegal drugs is not just the concern of the government, but everyone in the community.
“Let us work hand in hand and be involved in making Negros Occidental drug-free. This will contribute to having a drug-free region and a drug-free Philippines,” Sardua added. (With PNA/PN)
