BONTOC, Mountain Province(PIA)—The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency reported that 79 barangays in  the province remain drug free.

PDEA- Mountain Province Provincial Director Edwin C. Changrapen   informed  during the 1st Quarter Meeting of the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) that the 79 barangays were declared and verified as drug-free barangays.

Changrapen  also bared that of the province’s 144 barangays,   65  barangays are affected  but 63 were validated as drug-cleared while  two  others are under validation.

The municipalities of Barlig, Sabangan, Besao and Sadanga were also give clearance by the PDEA to proceed with application for drug/free municipality. This means that they are qualified to apply for Drug Cleared/Free Municipality considering the requirements needed on their applications.

The PDEA further reported that “shabu” is still the most abused drug in the province. Of the drug surrenderees,  88 percent were “shabu” users  while 12% used marijuana.

Accordingly, the source of “shabu” are from the neighboring  areas such as Baguio City. As to marijuana, among the sources are  some municipalities of Kalinga and boundary of Sadanga and Buscalan.

The PDEA also reported that   in line with the  continuous marijuana eradication activities of government  operatives,  18,260 fully grown MJ plants  with estimated value of P3,652,000.00 estimated value  were uprooted and destroyed  during recent  operations.  

The PADAC plans to intensify the campaign against illegal drugs with the re-visitation and monitoring of all drug surrenderees, and revitalization of the PNP-ADACs joint efforts activities through the BIDA (Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan) program with the support from other Law Enforcement Agencies, stakeholders, and government units.

Reverend Father Marcial Lloyd C. Castañeda proposed that the projects programs and activities of the different council members should be preventive and curative. (JDP/CVBT-PIA Mt. Province)