The Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office (INPPO) reported on Thursday that 92 percent of drug-affected villages in the province are now drug-cleared.
Out of the 559 villages in Ilocos Norte, data from the Ilocos Norte Provincial Barangay Drug-Clearing Team indicate that 41 barangays still have drug issues, while 484 have been cleared of drugs. The remaining 34 barangays are considered unaffected, according to the authorities.
“The Ilocos Norte police continues to intensify its efforts in the implementation of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program, in close coordination with our partner agencies and local government units across the province,” Col. Joemar Labiano, the INPPO director, said in a statement.
A barangay is declared drug-cleared once it was previously reported as drug-affected and has effectively completed drug-clearing activities to eliminate related illegal drug cases.
To date, Laoag City remains the area with the most drug-affected villages at 35, followed by the municipalities of Bangui (3), Pasuquin (2), and San Nicolas (1).
The Ilocos Norte police, together with the Department of Health, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, urged public support in the fight against drugs.
They aim to maintain drug-cleared villages through collaboration, monitoring, and community involvement, hoping to achieve drug-resistant, self-policing communities by 2030.
By Leilanie Adriano (PNA)