Non-drug-cleared barangays undergo drug-clearing orientation

PAGADIAN CITY, 31 January  (PIA) – Twenty (20)  remaining barangays in the city who have not been cleared of illegal drugs underwent orientation in the drug-clearing program administered by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA-9).

The city government thru the City Anti Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) rolled out the drug-clearing orientation recently at the Executive Function Hall and was attended by the Punong Barangays, Barangay Secretaries, and Barangay Councilors, chairman sa committee on women and family.

Rommel Torres, Asst. Regional Director, PDEA-9 said our government is aggressively implementing the barangay drug-clearing program (BDCP) because it is the effective solution to end the decade-long problem of illegal drugs in our country.

In this program, Torres said all aspects of the illegal drug problem are addressed by our national government so that we can live in peace and our country will be free from illegal drugs.

Torres said the BDCP was created 17 years ago because it was launched in 2003 where former DILG Secretary Jose Lina of the DILG issued a memo circular number 2003-211 which is the 'clearing of drug-affected barangays. '

"We have set the BDCP as a benchmark if we win our fight against illegal drugs," Torres added.

Meanwhile, DILG Provincial Director Mohammad Taja Arakama said that the job of cracking down on illegal drugs is not only the job of the President of the republic, DILG, PDEA, PNP, and the local chief executive but it is the job of all of us.

"In order for the fight against illegal drugs to be successful and for our barangay to be cleared of drugs, we all need to unite and work together to completely end the great problem in our country," Arakama said. .

Arakama added that in the anti-drug campaign, the authorities and local officials need to exercise courage.

“In our campaign against drugs, we need courage. Let us place concern on our left hand and courage on our right hand, ’Arakama challenges.

Arakama said the PDEA and DILG are now fully implementing a bold campaign to bully those who violate the law as well as those who are trafficking and using illegal drugs. (NBE/GCC/PIA-Pagadian City)

 

Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)