PDEA 7 eyes 3 brgys. to be drug-free

Three barangays in Cebu City are on the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s (PDEA) 7 top list of areas that should be declared as drug-free.

PDEA 7 Director Yogi Felimon Ruiz said they received a directive from their Manila office that they should consider declaring barangays Duljo Fatima, Bonbon and Taptap as drug-free.

Barangays Ermita, Lorega, Calamba and Pasil are next in PDEA’s priority.

Considering that Duljo Fatima is known to be a drug-infested area, Ruiz said it might be a tough job for them to declare it as a drug-free place but they’re working on the problem together with the barangay.

“This is doable. If we give up right then and there, we will not solve the (drug) problem,” Ruiz said.

Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President Philip Zafra also considers PDEA’s plan as a challenge for them.

“We were shocked upon learning that one of the top priority barangays (to be declared as drug-free) was Duljo-Fatima. That’s a challenge for us because the problem on drug proliferation there is severe but we are up to the challenge,” he said

PDEA 7 are yet to declare any drug-free barangays in the city.

Ruiz said only Barangay Dayas applied for the status, but their application is still being validated.

Asked why Bonbon and Taptap were included in the list, Ruiz said there are several motorycle-for-hire drivers in the area who are into illegal drugs, which need to be addressed.

Zafra said ABC is coordinating with the three villages to check if they’re implementing their anti-illegal drug activities.

Ruiz said the three villages should meet PDEA’s requirements so they will be declared as drug-free.

He said there should be an absence of drug pushers, drug users and drug den in their places.

The barangays should also have a voluntary rehabilitation referral desk. /