Gainza: 1st to be declared drug cleared in CamSur
GAINZA, Camarines Sur---The Philippine Drug Enforcementearly this week the Agency (PDEA) declared Municipality of Gainza as the first town of the province cleared of drugs.
The declaration of the agency was revealed by PDEA-Camarines Sur provincial director Christian Frivaldo during the launching and inauguration ceremony of Balay Silangan Reformation Center in Barangay First District here last Monday, November 25 this year.
In addition to the number of barangays cleared of drugs and compliance with the regulations of Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), the construction of the reformation center is included among the requirements of PDEA Regional Oversight Committee for a town to be declared as drug cleared.
In a phone interview, Police Senior Master Sergeant Jaime Tuazon, spokesperson of Gainza Municipal Police Station said that besides establishment of Balay Silangan, the Sanguniang Bayan of Gainza, headed by Vice Mayor Glen Romeo Gontang entered a memorandum of agreement between the local government and barangay officials of Barangay First District to comply with the required facility.
Based on the data provided by the PDEA Regional Oversight Committee, there are seven out of eight barangays here, with six declared as drug cleared while one barangay remained drug affected, awaiting to receive certification from the same committee declaring its clearance from drugs.
The committee did not mention the names of these barangays but Tuazon confirmed that the eight barangays are already cleared as Frivaldo, during the ceremony, declared Gainza a hundred percent drug cleared town.
These barangays are: Namuhat; Dahilig; Cagbunga; First District; Second District; Malbong; Loob; and Sampaloc.
The senior master sergeant told Bicol Mail that last year, the barangays of Namuhat; Dahilig; Cagbunga; First District; and Second District are cleared from drugs while this year, barangays Malbong; Loob; and Sampaloc cleared lately.
He said that in the launching and inauguration ceremony of the facility, the municipal government of Gainza already received a certification from PDEA but he clarified that there will be a final awarding ceremony for them on December 10, this year, at Camarines Sur Capitol Compound in Barangay Cadlan, Pili.
He said the agency has not yet announced the exact venue of the awarding.
When asked if Vice President Leni Robredo will ask Gainza-MPS some help for her own campaign against illegal drugs, even if she is no longer the co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), Tuazon replied that they will maintain the status inside the drug cleared municipality.
He added that they will continue what they have started to rid the eight barangays of drugs through continuous monitoring, daily barangay visitations, open dialogue with the barangay officials and residents, schools, and the youth as part of their Tabang, Anduyog, asin Malasakit project.
Other than the nearby municipality of Camaligan, Gainza is also considered as a very peaceful town in Camarines Sur.
The inauguration and launching of the center was attended by Camarines Sur Governor Miguel Luis “Migz” Villafuerte, Gainza LGU family, Camarines Sur Police Provincial Office (CSPPO), PDEA-Camarines Sur, Gainza-MPS, Rev. Fr. Fernando Catolico and Pastor Jim Codillo, among others.