MISAMIS ORIENTAL (PIA)--On the last day of Duterte Legacy Caravan conducted by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) at Naawan, here, PCOO Assistant Secretary JV Arcena confirmed, March 4, that eight barangays of Naawan town have been drug-cleared under Duterte administration’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Campaign.

Mayor Dennis Roa said the success of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Campaign of President Duterte impacted Naawan greatly. “For the information sa tanan, napulo ta ka-barangay dinhi sa lunsod sa Naawan, walo na ang drug-free,” he said.

(For everyone’s information, there are ten barangays in the Municipality of Naawan, of which eight barangays were already confirmed drug free)

The two remaining barangays are expected to be investigated by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in hope of making Naawan a drug-cleared municipality prior to the coming 2022 elections.

In a report presented by Arcena, the crime rate in the Philippines has decreased to 60% and during the Intero Philippines 2016 Drug Policy, P75 billion worth of illegal drugs has been obtained nationwide. Over one million drug users have surrendered and 3,000 minors were rescued during anti-drug operations.

There are also a total of 1,289 barangays in northern Mindanao and 219 barangays in Misamis Oriental, of which 8 barangays are from Naawan, that have been cleared from illegal drugs.

In this anti-drug and anti-crime campaign, together with the anti-insurgency campaign-barangay development program, Arcena emphasized the importance for developing a safer Philippines for all. “Gihimo ni ni Presidente dili kung para sa iyang kaugalingon lamang, ingon niya–kundi para sa sa kaugmaon o future ng atong nasod,” Arcena said.

(The president implemented the campaign not for himself, but for the future of our nation)

At present, a barangay of Naawan and few places in Misamis Oriental are recipients of government services through the Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) efforts of the region. (RLT/PIA-10/Misamis Oriental)