THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) recognized 57 fishermen from various towns in Pangasinan for their honesty and integrity after they promptly reported and turned over to authorities the illegal drugs estimated to be worth over P6.5 billion they found floating in the sea last June.

The July 12 ceremony, Pagkilala sa mga Mangingisdang Makabayan (Recognition of Patriotic Fishermen), was a tribute to the fishermen’s extraordinary commitment to public safety.

PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani Nerez personally handed out grocery packages worth P10,000 each to the fishermen as a token of the government’s appreciation for their civic-mindedness.

“I deeply commend these fishermen for their actions. They could have easily pocketed the drugs, but instead, they chose to protect the safety and well-being of their community,” he said.

Gov. Ramon Guico III also gave the fishermen cash rewards of P5,000 each. The local government of Bolinao also provided each of its fishermen with P5,000, while those from the towns of Bani and Agno also received similar recognition.  The ceremony was attended by local officials and representatives from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police, and the Philippine Navy.

PDEA Pangasinan, under the leadership of Provincial Officer Rechie Camacho, had already distributed cash rewards initially to the fishermen.

This recognition came after a string of successful drug seizures in the coastal areas of western Pangasinan. Since June 2025, nearly 1,110 packs of suspected illegal drugs have been discovered floating in the area’s seas.

The illegal drugs, which included a large quantity of methamphetamine, commonly known as shabu, were eventually destroyed through a contract with Clean Leaf International Corporation in Capas, Tarlac. (Ahikam Pasion)

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