The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has certified Barangay Wawang Pulo of the Valenzuela City government as a drug-cleared community.
Mayor Rex Gatchalian said the city government’s effort to clear drugs within its jurisdiction has paid off.
Based on records and the series of drug clearing operations conducted for the period of Aug. 8, 2016 to present, Barangay Wawang Pulo met all the indicators set forth under Section 8 of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation No. 3, Series of 2017, or the ìStrengthening the Implementation of Barangay Drug Clearing Program.
The indicators are absence of drug supply, drug transit/transshipment activity; drug laboratory and warehouse; chemical warehouse; marijuana cultivation site; drug den; drug pusher; protector, coddler and financier; and user/dependent.
Active involvement of barangay officials in anti-drug activities and in maintaining the drug-liberated status of the barangay were also noted, along with activities on drug awareness, preventive education and information, and other related programs; and the existence of voluntary and compulsory drug treatment and rehabilitation processing desk.
The certification was attested by Gatchalian, certified by Valenzuela City Police Station chief, Senior Supt. Ronaldo Mendoza, and validated by DILG-Valenzuela City Director Ms. Mary Jane S.E. Nacario and PDEA Regional Director Wilkins M. Villanueva.
The mayor commended the efforts of the barangay officials of Wawang Pulo, local Philippine National Police and the Valenzuela Anti-Drug Abuse Council (VADAC) which made the abovementioned milestone in the cityís fight against illegal drugs possible.
More barangays are already ìdrug-clearedî as per the list of the cityís oversight committee, which was also created by the DBB Regulation, and are now waiting for the final validation by PDEA, Gatchalian added.