CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported that 49 percent or 1,411 barangays in Central Luzon have been declared drug-cleared.
PDEA Deputy Regional Director Agnes Mandap explained that declaring a barangay as drug-cleared is a multi-agency declaration involving the Regional Oversight Committee composed of Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Health, PDEA and the concerned local government unit.
It follows the criteria of the Dangerous Drugs Board which include absence of drug supply, absence of clandestine drug laboratory, absence of drug den or drug resort, and absence of drug pusher.
On the other hand, 46% or 1,428 barangays remain to be drug-affected; 164 barangays or 4.96% are certified unaffected; and 9 barangays or 0.29% are unvalidated unaffected.
“Given those figures, Central Luzon is the fourth region nationwide with the highest number of remaining affected barangays. The highest is Bulacan with 446; followed by Nueva Ecija— 407; Tarlac—262; Pampanga—203; and Zambales—110,” PDEA Assistant Regional Director Agnes Mandap disclosed.
Meanwhile, the provinces of Aurora and Bataan were declared drug-cleared since February 1 this year.
In addition, PDEA reported a total of 4,595 arrested, at-large, and killed drug personalities with the joint efforts from other agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation and PNP.
“I commend the PNP for having 50% of positive operations. These are operations from the law enforcement unit such as buy bust operations and search warrants. The figures contributed are the acted upon reports,” she explained.
PDEA likewise established Bahay Silangan reformatory rehabilitation centers.
“We have one each in Hermosa, Bataan; San Narciso, Zambales; Cabanatuan and Talavera, Nueva Ecija; San Simon, Pampanga; and Angeles City. We also plan to have in Dingalan, Maria Aurora, and Baler in Aurora,” she said.
Lastly, Mandap shared that the agency conducted 92 seaport and 16 airport K9 sniffing or sweeping from January 1 to December 8.
There are also 79 airport interdictions, and 4 seaport interdictions through the coordinated effort of PDEA and the Bureau of Customs during the same period. —Jag Lyra D. Costamero