The chief in one of the barangays here has continued the local programs on drug prevention through a community-based rehabilitation program, which has been gaining headway, with more surrenderers completing the course.
In Saturday evening’s podcast of the Cabinet Officers for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) Region 10, Barangay 1 chairperson Anthony Abejuela said this rehabilitation program includes profiling of possible enrollees among drug dependents.
He also told Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar, the program’s host, that their village was among the clustered barangays in this city that will contribute resources to the community-based rehabilitation program.
“There are about 56 drug surrenderers who underwent the community-based rehabilitation program. Though there was about 10 percent of them who were not able to graduate, most of them were still able to complete the program,” he said.
Enumerating accomplishments and ongoing programs and activities in Barangay 1, Abejuela said they fully support the government’s programs against illegal drugs, environmental care, and coronavirus disease (Covid-19) response.
Abejuela said intensifying the anti-illegal drug campaign is an integral role of the barangay to achieve its overall development plan.
Drug-cleared barangays
Meanwhile, in Lanao del Sur, 73 more barangays were granted a drug-cleared status while another 14 were declared drug-free.
The drug-cleared villages include eight from the municipality of Madalum, 12 from Ditsaan-Ramain, seven from Bacolod-Kalawi, four from Marantao, three from Ganassi, 12 from Calanogas, 16 from Taraka, seven from Wao, and four from Buadipuso-Buntong.
The drug-free barangays, on the other hand, include three from the municipality of Madalum, three from Ditsaan-Ramain, four from Ganassi, three from Taraka, and one from Wao.
The villages were given the drug-cleared and drug-free status following stringent deliberation of the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Program (ROCBDC) on Nov. 4-7, led by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Director Gilbert V. Buenafe.
Drug-cleared barangays are those that used to be affected by illegal drugs but identified drug personalities in these areas have been accounted for and underwent interventions and other government programs while a drug-free barangay is free from illegal drug activities.
The anti-illegal drug campaign in Lanao del Sur is a continuous activity of the government even amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Source: Philippines News Agency