Will Pangasinan finally be drug-free?

By Bebot Villar

 

ANG tagal-tagal kong naghintay. I almost gave up but I did not lose hope. Sa tingin nga ng iba I already sound like a broken record pero hindi ako tumitigil because I know na ang laban na ito ay hindi para sa sarili ko but for our provincemates.

Mabuti naman at may magandang development in the province sa laban sa droga. May collaboration na between provincial government at Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the fight vs. drug lords na patuloy na namemerhuwesiyo sa Pangasinan.

Matagal ko nang isinisigaw ito. Matagal ko nang gustong makita na may real and concrete action. I have been waiting for that declaration of war laban sa droga. But ang gusto ko yong tunay na laban, hindi yong malasado at hanggang sa umpisa lang. Perhaps may ibang officials na nakukulitan na finally sa paulit-ulit na pagpapa-alala ko na gumising na sila, huwag nang mag bulag- bulagan, huwag nang magbingi-bingihan at huwag lang puro pagkakaperahan ang atupagin.

I hope they understand that as part of my mandate, I want to see drug-free communities and that should start right in my home province. It saddens me, therefore, to see my beloved province among those listed as drug-affected. It breaks my heart to know that the illegal trade of the drug traffickers are thriving in Pangasinan.

What is happening to our province? Nasaan na ang mga inaasahan nating kakampi? Ang hirap nilang abutin. Ang hirap nilang hagilapin. Ang hirap nilang gisingin. I must admit that I was frustrated to learn na walang Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Coordinating Council sa Pangasinan, and if ever there was, it was obviously dormant for a long time.  I hope the new development will change all that.

I have been worried sa pwedeng worst scenario because of indifference of public officials. I do not want to be alarmist but that is the reality. I am often misinterpreted when I ask for a no-nonsense war against illegal drugs each time I see na maraming kulang at malamya ang laban. In the war vs. illegal drugs, bawal ang lampa.

It looks like the situation is finally changing and I hope this one is for real.  With the declaration of war made no less by Gov. Amado Espino Jr, in his talk with our PDEA Regional Director Jeoffrey Tacio, I am confident that this will send a very strong message to all those behind illegal drugs in Pangasinan.

Ngayon pa lang ay nagpapasalamat na ako.

Let’s face it. We won’t have a problem sa illegal drugs kung mismong sa barangay ay matindi na ang monitoring sa kanila. Eh bakit sila nakalulusot? Clearly, kapag may illegal drug problem sa barangay, it means ang barangay kapitan ay walang pakialam, ang mga kagawad walang cooperation and ang mga barangay tanod ay bantay-tagay na lang.

Kaya nga mabuti naman at we will have synchronized elections sa October 28 para sa barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan.

Ito naman kasing mga SK din, mostly panay basketball tournaments lang inaatupag kaya tuloy there is a growing clamor to abolish this youth group. Sila pa naman yong most vulnerable sector sa illegal drugs pero we rarely see anti-drug related activities na ginawa to send a clear message that they are united in fighting this menace.

To many mayors and other higher officials naman, iba din ang focus. Takot ba sila sa mga drug pushers? Or mas enjoy kapag infra projects ang pinag-uusapan? Di ba ang mas dapat nilang katakutan ay ang mga heinous crimes happening around them that are perpetrated by drug-crazed persons?

Kaya nga kung hahayaan lang natin itong mga drug traffickers na mamayagpag, goodbye world ang labas natin.  Talo tayo. Sila ang maghahari.

As I have been repeatedly saying, dapat concerted efforts ang kailangan mula barangay, municipal, provincial, national levels at mga concerned government and non-government agencies. Kapag mas marami at mas malaki ang puwersa, mas mabigat ang dating at mas may impact ang laban.

Sa mga susunod na linggo, tututukan ko ang mga developments at programa ng mahal kong probinsya laban sa droga. Samahan nyo ako para iisa ang direction natin. It’s high time we eliminate this problem. Naiinip na ang mga tao. Tapusin na natin ang laban! I hope hindi ito ningas cogon lamang na kampanya at pang media mileage lang.

Huwag sanang pampa-pogi lang at hanggang press release lamang dahil mawawalan ng saysay ang magandang program na ito. Sayang kung sa umpisa ay masyadong maingay at aggressive tapos habang tumatagal ay lumalamig na. Instead, sana, habang tumatagal ay lalong tumitindi ang laban sa illegal drugs sa Pangasinan.

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