2 Dagupan barangays still “seriously affected” by illegal drugs
TWO barangays in this city are still listed as category 1 or “a seriously affected area” with illegal drugs.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)- Region 1’s director Adrian Alvariño identified Barangays Bonuan Binloc and Bonuan Gueset in Dagupan as the only villages in the province that have, so far, been recorded under category 1. He revealed this during the KBP Forum last June 26.
The agency has three categories that measure how an area is affected by illegal drugs. A Category 1 area is a “seriously affected area;” Category 2, “moderately affected area;” and Category 3, “less-affected area.”
As of June 25, 2014, there are still about 99 drug-affected barangays in Pangasinan: two under category 1 and 97 under category 2.
Of PDEA’s 290 operations in the region from January to May 2014, 167 operations were conducted in Pangasinan this year.
Ot the 323 arrested, 171 were from Pangasinan.. And out 837.5 grams of shabu and 286.3 grams of marijuana seized in Region 1. 607.2 grams of shabu and 1,037.0 grams of marijuana were seized in Pangasinan.
Alvariño cited the land area, population, and economic activities in Pangasinan as the main reasons why the province remains as one of the most seriously affected by illegal drugs.
More than 30% or about 1,624 barangays out of the over 3,000 villages in the region are in Pangasinan.
Consequently, he has designated the most number of agents in the province.
Alvariño said that aside from their usual operations, their agency also conducts prevention education and community involvement seminars to seek more support to their anti-drug campaign from different stakeholders.
He appealed to parents to monitor their children’s activities since marijuana, is now being sold P10-20 per stick. – LVM and Johanne R. Macob
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
