BONTOC, Mountain Province – Barangay Caneo of this capital town has been declared drug-free by the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Program.
The oversight committee, which is chaired by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, is composed of representatives of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police, Department of Health, and local government units.
Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey and Bontoc Municipal Police Station Deputy Chief, Lt. Rufino Alibat, handed over the certificate of drug-free barangay to Caneo Punong Barangay Edward Ochasan during the program in celebration of the 113th founding anniversary of Bontoc on Sept. 16, at the Municipal Capitol grounds.
Odsey commended the barangay officials and constituents of Caneo for their individual and collective efforts in curbing the proliferation of illegal drugs in their area.
He added Bontoc has been aggressively implementing the government’s anti-drug campaign since it was launched at the start of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term in 2016.
The declaration of a barangay as drug-free is pursuant to the parameters set forth by the Dangerous Drugs Board as provided in Section 8, DDB Board Regulation 3 s. 2017.
The resolution provides that before declaring that a barangay is free from illegal drug activities, the committee must convene and validate the non-availability of drug supply in the area; absence of drug den, pusher and/or user; absence of clandestine drug laboratory; active involvement of barangay officials in anti-drug activities; existence of drug awareness, preventive education, and information; and existence of voluntary and compulsory drug treatment and rehabilitation processing desk. – Alpine L. Killa
April 27, 2024
