PDEA Declares 22 Brgys Drug Free, Cleared in Nueva Vizcaya

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) recently declared 22 barangays here as drug-free and drug-cleared.

The declaration was made during a recent program at the provincial capitol in this town in support of  President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs program .

Police Senior Supt. Jeremias Aglugub  said the drug – cleared barangays are barangays Galintuja and Abuyo in Alfonso Castañeda town, barangay Poblacion in Ambaguio town, barangay Yaway in the Aritao town, barangays San Fabian, Proper East, Mapayao and Pangawan in Kayapa town and barangay Nagbitin in Villaverde town.

He said the drug-free barangays are Ipil-Cuneg, Cabuaan and Bansing in Bayombong town;  Bulala and Parai in Dupax Del Norte town;  Tukod, Nantawakan and  Wangal in  Kasibu town and  Cawayan, Lipuga and Pelaway in Alfonso Castañeda town.

The towns of Dupax Del Sur and Quezon were also declared drug free and drug cleared.

“We now have about 125 drug – cleared and drug – free barangays in the province for the first three quarters of 2018,” Aglugub said.

He further added that the declaration of the barangays as drug-free and drug-cleared passed the validation process of the Philippine National Police (PNP), PDEA, Department of Health (DOH) and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), among others.

Based on the parameters set by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), barangays  to be declared drug-free and drug cleared need to have no drug shipment activities, drug laboratory, drug warehouse, chemical warehouse, cultivation site, drug resort, drug dealers and users.

The war on illegal drugs also encourages the active involvement of barangay officials particularly on  drug information and education related programs and the establishment  of voluntary and compulsory drug treatment and rehabilitation processing desks.(MDCT/BME/PIA 2-Nueva Vizcaya)