CEBU CITY - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) is looking to strengthen the barangay drug clearing program to encourage village officials to practice self-governing powers to prevent the entry of illegal drugs.
PDEA-7 information officer III Leia Alcantara said on Saturday the agency is visiting barangays to give lectures to officials about the drug-clearing program including the classification and identification of dangerous drugs and their ill-effects.
"The reason why we want to empower the barangays is that no matter where the shabu comes from, whether it's inside or outside the country, they will always make its way into the barangay so we really have to strengthen our barangays," Alcantara said in a media statement.
She added that methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, is the primary problem in Central Visayas.
She said Central Visayas is one of the highest regions with 68 percent barangay drug-affectation and is considered a market as well as transshipment point of illegal drugs.
With the continuing pandemic, the PDEA official said drug users are their biggest challenge right now, especially since the price of shabu today is cheap.
"If we do not address and properly implement the programs, the entry of illegal drugs will continue," Alcantra said.
Based on the report of PDEA-7 in 2020, she said they have a total of 243 operations and 486 total individual arrests in Central Visayas, the majority of these apprehensions are from Cebu.
Out of the 486 arrested, 192 are high-value targets (HVIs), adding that these HVIs are those who possess 500 grams above of dangerous drugs or those who operate drug dens, Alcantara said.
As of Feb. 3, 2021, 678 barangays in Central Visayas are declared drug-free with 206 barangays completely unaffected.
Alcantara attributed the decline of operations on illegal drugs to the pandemic.
She highlighted three general classifications in determining barangay drug affectation: unaffected barangay, drug-affected barangay, and seriously affected barangay.
Under the unaffected barangay, there is no presence of drug pushers or users or any presence of drug trade in the area.
There are three sub-categories of a drug-affected barangay, namely slightly affected where there is the presence of at least one user; moderately affected where there is the presence of at least one pusher and one user; and seriously affected where there are marijuana plantations, drug laboratories, drug den, drug smuggling, and drug personalities such as users, pushers, financiers, protectors, cultivators, and manufacturers, among others.
The public may send their reports on drug information via the Facebook page of PDEA Director-General Wilkins Villanueva also known as "Isumbong Mo Kay Wilkins!" or contact 09226893786 for SUN subscribers and 09395788775 for SMART subscribers.
Alcantara assured the public that all messages they receive will remain confidential. (PNA)
