Manila: All 80 barangays (villages) in this city have been declared 'drug-cleared,' reflecting sustained community participation and coordination among local authorities and law enforcement agencies. This came after the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing's official Sept. 9 declaration that 18 more barangays in Laoag were rid of illegal drugs.
According to Philippines News Agency, the 18 newly declared drug-free barangays are: 01 San Lorenzo, 05 San Pedro, 07-B Nuestra Se±ora de Natividad, 10 San Jose, 12 San Isidro, 14 Santo Tomas, 17 San Francisco, 19 Santa Marcela, 20 San Miguel, 21 San Pedro, 23 San Matias, 46 Nalbo, 47 Bengcag, 48-B Cabungaan South, 54-B Camangaan, 59-A Dibua South, 59-B Dibua North, and 60-A Caaoacan.
"This achievement belongs to every barangay official, community volunteer, family, and resident who chose to take part in the work of prevention, awareness, vigilance, and community action," said the Liga ng mga Barangay in Laoag City, led by President Roque Benjamin Ablan, in a statement on Thursday.
For his part, Laoag City Mayor James Bryan Alcid congratulated all the drug-cleared villages and challenged them to ensure that illegal drug activities do not return to their areas.
A barangay is declared drug-cleared once it was previously reported as drug-affected and has effectively completed drug-clearing activities to eliminate related illegal drug cases. The Ilocos Norte police, together with the Department of Health, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, urged public support in the fight against drugs.
