Gov’t agencies must now be ‘Drug-free Work Places’ — PDEA
THE Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) and the Inter-Agency Committee on Illegal Drugs of the Regional Development Council passed separate resolutions mandating all government agencies in Region 1 to establish ‘Drug-free Work Places’ (DFWP).
Speaking at the Kapihan sa Ilocos last week, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 1 Director Joel Plaza said in compliance with these resolutions, 382 government agencies, including private offices in Region 1 have already been declared DFWP, 203 already received DFWP orientation from PDEA while 179 others were given commendation for their support and cooperation to the anti-drug campaign.
With the endorsement by the RPOC led by its chairperson Governor Raphaelle Ortega of La Union, the DFWP program of PDEA must be pursued in all government agencies in the region.
At the same time, he said the declaration of Drug-free Work Places will supplement the barangay drug clearing operations being undertaken by the PDEA, Philippine National Police and Local Government Units.
The program was launched by PDEA to reinforce its campaign against illegal drugs not only in the barangays but in work places (government and private), ensuring that none of their workers is taking illegal drugs.
Meanwhile, PDEA Region 1 further intensified its coast watch and intel operations from Pangasinan to Ilocos Norte to thwart drug smuggling in coastal areas in the region.
Plaza said PDEA has a program that teaches coastal residents, particularly fishermen, how to detect foreign vessels that could be dropping off illegal drugs off the coast, how to identify illegal drugs and how to relay their reports on presence of foreign vessels and illegal drugs immediately to the police and PDEA.
The coast watch will be complemented by the formation of an Airport Anti-Drug Interdiction Group that will be posted at the Laoag International Airport to stop drug smuggling via cargo.
PDEA has nine agents, nine K-9 handlers and eight sniffing dogs deployed in various coastal areas and in the airports to stop drug smuggling, Plaza said. (Leonardo Micua)
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