LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – The provincial board has recognized the town of Alcala as the latest local government unit (LGU) in Pangasinan to be officially declared by the Philippine Drug-Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as drug-free.
Members of the board discussed and approved a resolution on the matter during its regular session on Monday.
The number of Pangasinan LGUs already declared as drug-free currently stands at 14.
Author of the resolution, Board Member Clemente Arboleda Jr., said aside from Alcala, declared as drug-free are Mabini, Agno, Anda, Alaminos City, Bolinao, Bani, Dasol, Mapandan, Malasiqui, Laoac, Natividad, San Nicolas and Sto. Tomas, the only town in the province classified by PDEA as drug-unaffected.
Arboleda said both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the PDEA reported that Alcala, his hometown, has been included among the towns/cities now listed as drug-free.
Meanwhile, Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim, provincial board presiding officer, cited the need to confer with the PNP and PDEA on the drug status of other towns and cities in Pangasinan.
He said the efforts of the PNP, town and barangay officials and their people must be recognized for contributing largely to the new drug-free status of their localities.
According to Calimlim, this bodes well for the campaign of the provincial government led by Gov. Amado Espino Jr. to finally rid the province of illegal drugs.
The provincial government is constructing a drug rehabilitation center in Barangay San Vicente, Burgos, he noted.
The Pangasinan Police, under police provincial director Senior Supt. Ronald Lee, set Dec. 31 as its self-imposed deadline to make the entire province drug-free. (PNA)
