161 villages in Central Luzon now drug-free

By Zorayda Tecson 

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Around 161 villages in Central Luzon have been declared drug-free, according to the latest report of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Region 3.
    PDEA Regional Public Information Officer Glenn Guillermo said on Thursday the declaration was made after validation and certification by the Regional Oversight Committee.

“Drug-free means unaffected barangays, in short, walang drug users at walang drug pushers. Ang pagdi-declare ng drug-free ay hindi lang PDEA but it is inter-agency at dumadaan po ito sa mabusising proseso (Drug free means unaffected barangays, in short, there are no drug users and no drug pushers. The declaration of drug-free is not only being done by PDEA but it is an inter-agency and undergoes a thorough process),” Guillermo said in a radio interview.
    He said most of the drug-free villages in the region are ethnic communities.
    “Marami sa Central Luzon ang ethnic groups so obviously, sa mga ethnic communities, walang gumagamit ng droga at walang nagbebenta ng droga (There are lots of ethnic groups in Central Luzon, so obviously in ethnic communities, there is no one using and selling illegal drugs),” he added.
    Of the 161 drug-free villages, 46 are in Pampanga; 40 in Nueva Ecija; 29 in Tarlac; 16 in Zambales; 14 in Aurora; nine in Bataan; and seven in Bulacan.
    However, Guillermo failed to give information as to the period covering the declarations.

He said a total of 2,491 villages in the region have so far been cleared of illegal drugs while 450 are still affected.

He cited the good relationship between PDEA and the Philippine National Police in the collective efforts to eradicate illegal drugs in the region.

Guillermo also said they would continue to monitor the villages to ensure the sustainability of the government's anti-drug campaign.

“We are more on preventive education, we promote a drug-free workplace as per guidelines of the Department of Labor and Employment,” he added.

He also said 33 Balay Silangan Reformation Centers in the region aim to reform drug offenders into self-sufficient and law-abiding members of society.

“Hopefully by September, we could inaugurate at least three, so it will be 36,” Guillermo added. -- PNA