Over 6,000 barangays now free from drugs -- PDEA

As the government's anti-drug campaign marked its second year, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Wednesday bared that 6,562 out of 42,036 barangays in the country were already cleared of illegal drugs from July 2016 to June 2018.

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said that for 2018, PDEA aims to clear 7,328 barangays from illegal drugs, or a projected average of 617 barangays per month.

He noted the lead agency against illegal drugs aims to clear 24,424 barangays from illegal drugs by 2022.

Before declaring that a barangay is free from illegal drug activities, the committee must convene and validate the non-availability of drug supply in the area and the absence of drug transit activity, clandestine drug laboratory and chemical warehouse, marijuana cultivation site, drug den, drug pushers and users.

“Once cleared, we must ensure that drug-free barangays will maintain their status. All our efforts will go to waste if we allow the resurgence of illegal drug activities in these areas,” Aquino said.

“To accelerate efforts against the proliferation of illegal drugs in drug-affected barangays, the government has adopted an integrated approach in securing the assistance of the local government units in drug-clearing operations,” the PDEA chief added, citing Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation No. 3 Series of 2017, otherwise known as “Strengthening the Implementation of the Barangay Drug-Clearing Program”.

In its update on "#RealNumbersPH", PDEA said from July 2016 up to June 2018, that total value of illegal drugs seized is PHP21.29 billion while 2,738.73 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as "shabu", with an estimated value of PHP14.66 billion were also seized were in 714. 92 kilograms of shabu were confiscated from smuggling and 318. 39 kilograms were confiscated from manufacturing particularly from the dismantling of clandestine laboratories.

Authorities have arrested a total of 147,802 individuals involved in illegal drugs from July 2016 to June 2018.

Of this number, some 229 were elected officials, 52 were uniformed personnel, and 245 were government employees.

Around 102,630 anti-illegal drugs operations by joint law enforcement agencies were also conducted during the period.

Duterte has repeatedly declared that he will not stop his crackdown against illegal drugs that resulted in the killing of 4,354 drug personalities in legitimate police operations.

Aside from PDEA, agencies involved in the anti-illegal drugs operations are the Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Bureau of Customs (BoC) among others.

Meanwhile, the joint law enforcement agencies rescued 1,161 minors during the anti-illegal drugs operations from July 2016 to June 2018.

According to Department of Social and Welfare Development (DSWD), those rescued minors, after court proceedings, will be turned over to the Bahay Pagasa centers of local government units (LGUs) within eight hours of police custody, before turning them over to the DSWD centers to undergo counselling to help reform them back to society.

Since they are minors, DSWD said, they will not be put in prison together with hardened criminals.

(Reposted from Philippine News Agency. Original title: Over 6K barangays now drug-free. Photo Credit:  GMA News)

Cavite barangay health workers receive incentives

In recognition of their contribution to the community, barangay health workers and barangay nutrition scholars received their productivity incentives for the first and second quarter of 2018. 

The ceremonial checks amounting to P14,364,000.00 which was awarded to 2,394 BHW and P2,110,200.00 to 479 BNS were handed over by Gov. Boying Remulla in a simple program held at Indang Municipal Covered Court on July 10, 2018. 

Mayor Perfecto Fidel and Vice Mayor Sammy Rodil together with other local officials warmly welcomed guests and participants and expressed their gratitude to the provincial government for providing assistance to the Caviteños. 

The event was also graced by Atty. Harry Roque, Presidential Spokesperson, Gov. Jonvic Remulla and 7^th District Board Member Rainier Ambion. Likewise, a total of 829 units of digital blood pressure monitor were distributed for various barangays of the province.

(Reposted from the Official Website of the Province of Cavite.  Original title: Incentives for barangay health workers and barangay nutrition scholars.  Photo credit: The Provincial Information and Community Affairs Department)

Bataan barangay official wants educated, well-disciplined tanods

 

By Mar Supnad

A newly-elected barangay chairman here said he wants that all his tanods (watchmen) would be educated and well-disciplined to better serve the community.

The proposal of Barangay Mulawin barangay captain Marvin Dela Cruz seized the attention of newsmen as this is the first time that such watchmen have gone through a special training for the barangay peacekeeping action team or BPATs.

Capt dela Cruz said he wanted his barangay watchmen to be well-educated with proper knowledge in securing the community similar to the country’s major law enforcers.

He said Barangay Mulawin’s village watchmen went through on a five-day (40 hours) training on the basics of Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act; Scene of the Crime Operation First Responders’ Role; Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination; Correspondence and Report Writing; Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002; Barangay Drug Clearing Operations and Physical Conditioning.

Among the speakers were Balanga Police Chief, Supt. Byron Allatog, a multi awarded police official; Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), Bataan Provincial Crime Laboratory chief, Police Chief Insp. Ailyn Perez; PO2 Reynaldo Viray; PO2 Jobelle Hugo and SPO1 Francis Francisco.

A successful and highly-respected businessman, Dela Cruz, is engaged in the trucking and hauling industry.

He ran unopposed during the recent Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in this town.

(Reposted from Manila Bulletin. Original title: Barangay leader pushes for educated, well-disciplined tanods. Photo credit: (Wikimedia Commons/Manila Bulletin File Photo)
 

Quezon City barangays allow children to sit in councils

By Alexandria San Juan

The Quezon City will be allowing children, 10 to 15 years of age, to sit as members of the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC).

In an amended ordinance approved by Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, child representatives will be allowed to sit in the BCPC as long as he or she is also a member of an accredited children’s organization in his or her barangay.

The accredited children’s organization will hold an election to pick the child representative it will nominate to the BCPC.

“It is the policy of the City government that the rights of the children for survival, protection, participation, and development of their potentials must be given priority,” said Councilor Julienne Alyson Rae Medalla, who authored the 2018 ordinance.

Under the ordinance, the child representative should serve as the delegate of the children’s sector in the BCPC, which will also convene a children’s association within the barangay to deliberate on and prioritize children’s issues that will be brought to the council for deliberation.

Children representatives will also be tasked to get evidence-based data and information that will substantiate the priority issues of children, and develop children’s agenda folder for each issue.

Aside from their tasks in the government council, the children representatives should also seek support from child-focused non-government organizations for children agenda to be presented to the BCPC for appropriate legislative action.

Based on the ordinance, the barangay council will also be tasked to accredit and recognize the children’s associations and clubs.

(Reposted from Manila Bulletin. Original title: Kids to sit in QC brgy councils for children. Photo credit: Michael Varcas/Manila Bulletin file photo.)