KORONADAL CITY -- The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) has declared the municipality of Tantangan in South Cotabato as drug-cleared.
Naravy Duquiatan, PDEA-12 director, said Tuesday that all 13 barangays of Tantangan have passed the parameters set under the national government’s drug-clearing program following a series of assessments.
Duquiatan said these were conducted by members of the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Program, which is headed by PDEA-12.
The official said 12 of the barangays in Tantangan mainly passed the revalidation conducted by the committee while another was newly-cleared after complying with the provisions of Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation No. 3 series of 2017, which strengthened the implementation of the barangay drug clearing program.
Duquiatan said they officially made the declaration, the first among the 10 towns and lone city of South Cotabato, in a meeting with Tantangan officials last Friday.
"When we say drug-cleared, there are no more illegal drugs in the community, no transshipment and no more drug pushers and users,” she told reporters.
She said it also means that the anti-drug programs like rehabilitation and drug awareness are institutionalized and implemented continuously.
Duquiatan commended the municipal government, through its anti-drug abuse council, and the barangays for complying with the program’s requirements.
She said the town is now facing another challenge to make sure that none of its barangays will revert to drug-affected status.
The official said cases of drug personalities entering the barangays and communities should be reported immediately to the oversight committee.
"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 said.
In South Cotabato, the PDEA-12 reported last month that 142 barangays were already considered as cleared but these still need to undergo revalidation from the regional oversight committee.
A total of 57 barangays were listed as drug-affected, with 42 considered as slightly affected and 15 as moderately affected. (PNA)
