SoCot town now drug-cleared
Local News • 21:15 PM Tue Nov 12, 2019
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By:
Wilnard Bacelonia
Photos courtesy of Mayor Benjamin Figueroa, Jr.
KORONADAL CITY - The Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Program officially declared all the 13 villages of Tantangan town in South Cotabato as drug-cleared in a ceremony held at the Tantangan Municipal Hall Friday morning.
According to Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Program and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA-12) Regional Director Naravy Duquiatan, 12 barangays of the said town were revalidated and the other one was declared as newly "drug-cleared" after complying with the parameters set by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation No. 3 series of 2017.
"When we say drug-cleared, there are no more illegal drugs in the community, there are no transhipments in the area, no more drug pushers and users. Aside from that, the anti-drug programs like the rehabilitation and drug awareness programs are continuous. We all know that those are very hard to achieve. But the Municipaity of Tantangan together with their MADAC and BADACs complied with those requirements," she said.
The Regional Oversight Committee members challenged Tantangan local officials and residents to find more ways to sustain their status.
Tantangan is the first town in South Cotabato to be officially declared as "drug-cleared".
"We encourage them to report drug personalities entering their barangays. They will be given 30 days to solve the problem. Within that period, if no action is undertaken, their drug-cleared status will be reverted to drug-affected," Duquiatan noted.
The official also encouraged other towns and barangays in SOCCKSARGEN Region to comply with the DDB requirements.