WITH 28 towns and one city already cleared by the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) of illegal drugs awaiting to be validated by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and with just seven towns and two cities still to be cleared, Pangasinan police is confident it can achieve its objective of having the whole province declared drug-free by December.

P/ Chief Inspector Norman Florentino, PPPO public information Officer said so far eight towns and city, namely, Anda, Agno, Laoac, Dasol, San Nicolas, Mapandan, Natividad, Sto Tomas (which was never affected) and Alaminos (the only city in the region cleared of illegal drugs) have already been validated as drug-free by PDEA.

Meanwhile, the towns of Burgos, Bolinao, Mabini, Aguilar, Sison, San Quintin, Basista, Labrador, Sta. Maria, Bautista, Bugallon, Tayug, Alcala, Malasiqui, Umingan, Sual, Calasiao, San Jacinto, Lingayen, Urbiztondo, Binalonan, San Manuel, Manaoag, Bugallon, Bani, Sta Barbara, Infanta, Pozorubio, Asingan and Urdaneta City have already been recommended by the PPPO to PDEA for validation after accomplishing all the requirements for declaring it as free from illegal drugs.

The seven towns and two cities that remain drug-affected are Balungao, Binmaley, Mangaldan, Mangatarem, Rosales, San Fabian, Villasis and the cities of Dagupan and San Carlos.

From the 1,271 drug affected barangays, 1,247 have been cleared in the PPPO level and 24 remaining Barangays to be cleared from illegal drugs; 270 Barangays validated by PDEA.

There were 22,220 drug personalities who surrendered and have begun undergoing community-based rehabilitation programs.

Florentino said that the Provincial Oversight Committee continues to hold a weekly meeting to validate all the remaining 24 barangays and seven municipalities that are in the process of drug clearing.

He expressed confidence that the validation of the remaining towns by PDEA will be finished by December. (Nora Dominguez)

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