10 More Barangays in Zamboanga Del Norte Declared Drug- Free

By Jong Cadion

ZAMBOANGA CITY (July 21, 2017) - Ten (10) more Barangays from the Cities of Dapitan and Dipolog as well as the Municipalities of Mutia, Manuel Roxas and Sergio Osmena were added to the sixty (60) Barangays in Zamboanga Del Norte who were declared drug free after assessment and validation conducted by the Regional Oversight Committee and eventually issued a certification as declared Drug Free Barangays during the Ceremonial Declaration of Drug Cleared and Drug Free Barangays held at Zamboanga Del Norte Sports and Convention Complex, Dipolog City on Wednesday (July 19), official said.

ZCPO-PRO9 information officer PCINSP HELEN L GALVEZ said that this summed up a total of seventy (70) Barangays were given the certificates as Drug Free Barangays by member of the Regional Oversight Committee under the Chairmanship of PDEA 9 Regional Director Lyndon P Aspacio.

Overall, the Cities and Municipalities with corresponding Barangays who were declared as Drug Free are as follows: Dapitan City (6), Dipolog City (5), Baliguian Municipality (1), Godod (2), Gutalac (2), Jose Dalman (2), Kalawit (2), Katipunan (1), La Libertad (2), Labason (2), Leon Postigo (2), Liloy (2), Manukan (2), Mutia (3), Pinan (2), Polanco (4), Pres. Ma.Roxas (8), Rizal (2), Salug (2), Sergio Osmena (1), Siayan (2), Sibuco (2), Sibutad (2), Sindangan (2), Siocon (2), Sirawai (1) and Tampilisan (2).

PCINSP GALVEZ further said that The mentioned Barangays were declared as drug cleared in accordance with Dangerous Drug Board Regulation No. 3-series of 2017, after meeting the following parameters: non-availability of drug supply, absences of drug transit/transshipment activity, clan drug laboratory, drug warehouse, clan chemical warehouse, marijuana cultivation site, drug den/dive or resort, drug pusher, drug user/dependent, protector/coddler and financier, active involvement of barangay officials in anti-drug activities and active involvement of SK to help maintain the drug-liberated status of the barangay, existence of drug awareness, preventive education and information, and other related programs and existence of voluntary and compulsory drug treatment and rehabilitation processing desk.

The members of the Regional Oversight Committee who graced the Ceremonial Declaration are LYNDON P ASPACIO, Regional Director, PDEA 9 as Chairperson; PAIZAL O ABUTAZIL, CESO III, Regional Director, DILG 9 as Vice-Chairperson, PCSUPT BILLY B BELTRAN, Regional Director, PRO9, ARISTIDES C TAN, CESO III, Regional Director, DOH 9 and Gov. ROBERTO Y UY, of Zamboanga Del Norte, as Committee members.