By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
A WEEK ago, it was reported that all 23 villages in the town of EB Magalona in the northern part of Negros Occidental were now drug-cleared. Such was declared by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Region 6 and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
This is a monumental feat for Mayor Marvin Malacon and the people of E.B. Magalona. In a no-holds-barred interview, I asked him the “hows” and “whys” of this noteworthy accomplishment.
Candidly, Mayor Malacon simply said: “There’s a concerted effort among the police, local government, PDEA, and the people of E.B. Magalona. We can’t do this alone. We cannot achieve this alone. Thanks to the people of E.B. Magalona for supporting our campaign against illegal drugs.”
Yes, the fight against illegal drugs is no joke. Winding, tedious and even dangerous. Challenges? There are a lot! But for Mayor Malacon, “We fought…and we won after seven years.”
DIFFERENT TACKS
Believing that there’s always a “second chance”, Mayor Malacon bared that they really thought of different tacks in their campaign against illegal drugs.
He said all those netted high value targets (HVT) were given another chance to prove their worth in society beyond shabu selling/using.
“And, it worked! It inspired others to follow suit,” the local chief executive confessed.
Too, he thanked their top cop, Major Kenneth Gratones, for being aggressive in their quest to make their town drug-free.
“And with the support of all barangay officials and civilians, everything happened naturally…and smoothly,” the mayor related.
‘LIVABLE’ TOWN
Asked about the rationale of their enormous quest against illegal drugs, the mayor simply uttered: “I want to make E.B. Magalona a ‘livable’ town for everyone!”
He added: “We will continue to monitor our reformed drug personalities. We will see to it that they’ll live in accordance to their promise…commitment to betterment.”
According to Mayor Malacon, “Yes, we are now drug-free, but it’s not a guarantee nga wala na dayun o wala na after sini. We still need to monitor everything, everybody is involved in our anti-drug campaign. We need to have sustainability.”
This is the very reason why they’re putting up a “Bahay Silangan” within the town’s Yolanda Housing Project (YHP).
“Such will serve as a reformation center for all our identified drug personalities while on a recovery period,” said the mayor.
He also said they’re lucky there were no “big fish” behind the crushed “shabu trade” in their town.
POVERTY VS OPPORTUNITY
Mayor Malacon also focuses on the business roadmap of E.B. Magalona. The trajectory – opportunity versus poverty.
Such, the mayor stressed, will focus on re-scaling-slash-inspiring the town’s businessmen to become innovative/
“Our local businessmen really have the capabilities – resources and spaces – to grow. However, some refuse to innovate,” he lamented.
So, the municipal government, vowed by Mayor Malacon, will come in to fulfill this mission of making EB Magalona a second-class municipality in Negros Occidental to be the “next haven of booming businesses.”
Disclosed by Mayor Malacon, EB Magalon is currently hosts the regional training camp of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Barangay Alicante. Soon, it’ll also be home to the National Headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Maritime Command, specifically in Barangay Tuburan. These and more will mean opportunities for economic growth, peace and order and security.
“That’s why it’s time for us to develop and understand the business trend(s) now. We really need to innovate. And in innovation, we need to gamble,” the mayor emphasized.
Well, Buddha once said, “When words are both true and kind, they can change the world.”
Kudos to Mayor Malacon and the people of E.B. Magalona. To be drug-free is tremendous. There’s really grandeza en la unidad”(greatness in oneness)./PN
