BACOLOD CITY — With 100 percent of the barangays in Bacolod drug-affected, the need to activate the anti-drug abuse bodies in the villages has become imperative, a city official said.
Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran on Monday said the barangays should support and cooperate with the local government so that they would be declared drug-free, adding that this could be done with the activation of the Barangay Drug-Abuse Councils (BADACs).
Familiaran issued the call after the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) confirmed during the launch of the Rehabinasyon here last Saturday that all 61 barangays of Bacolod are drug-affected.
Rehabinasyon is the all-encompassing government campaign against illegal drugs.
As of February 2018, 36 villages in the city are moderately-affected by drugs while 25 are slightly-affected.
The vice mayor pointed out that while the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) is active in the campaign against illegal drugs, there is a problem with BADACs in carrying out their functions for fear of possible retaliation from drug suspects.
Familiaran said the BADACs are the first line of defense against the proliferation of illegal drugs in the barangays because the village officials and the residents have the information about people in the community.
He also said that the Department of Interior and Local Government should monitor the compliance of the barangays in the activation of the BADACs and to impose sanctions on those that are non-compliant.
During the launch of the Rehabinasyon, Mayor Evelio Leonardia said that the CADAC has been very active and enthusiastic in performing its roles and duties and aligned its composition, structures and thrust with that of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-illegal Drugs.
He added that the CADAC strongly supports the orientation and the re-strengthening of the BADACs.
Leonardia also said that Bacolod has done much in suppressing the proliferation of illegal drugs, in persuading the drug users to voluntarily surrender, and in providing rehabilitation to those who have decided to reform their ways.
The mayor acknowledged though that there is still much to be done, and if the Bacoleños are better equipped, Bacolod will have a better chance to succeed in its strong and committed fight against drugs. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
