PDEA tags 26 Daraga barangays as drug-free

DARAGA, Albay – Twenty-six barangays in this town have been validated as drug-cleared by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) after a thorough evaluation of their respective programs to fight the drug menace.

S/Sgt. Elisa Lumberio, drug-clearing focal person of the Philippine National Police (PNP), on Monday, Jan. 20 said out of the town’s 46 drug-affected villages, 20 others are still under evaluation by the PDEA.

Lumberio, Mayor Victor Perete, town police chief, Lt. Col. Roldan Betita, and Department of the Interior and Local Government municipal officer Ruth Fay Belarmino held a met with village heads at the session hall of the Sangguniang Bayan here to discuss the town’s drug problems.

PNP record shows that out of 1,129 identified persons hho used drugs (PWUDs) from the different affected villages, 427 were given general intervention and aftercare program by the Municipal Health and Social Welfare Offices.

“Subject for drug-clearing are the villages of Anislag, Bagumbayan, Baňag, Binitayan, Cullat, Gabawan, Ilawod, Inarado, Kilicao, Kimantong, Malabog, Market Site, Maroroy, Namantao, Sagpon, San Roque, San Vicente Grande, Sipi, Tagas and Villahermosa,” Lumberio said.

She said that the PNP’s main task is to crack down on the proliferation of illegal drugs while the local government unit’s responsibility is to provide intervention to PWUDs. “The goal is to declare a drug-free municipality this 2020,” she added, referring to this town.

Perete, for his part, reiterated his call to all barangay captains to assist the PNP in achieving the goal. “You have to assist our local police in their campaign to crack down illegal drugs,” he said.

Perete said that educating the community is less expensive than aftercare or rehabilitation of PWUDs. “Barangay officials must do something in order to address illegal drug issues” he added. (PNA)