Guindulungan LGU pushes for drug-cleared barangays

GUINDULUNGAN, Maguindanao --- This municipal government continues its drive for drug-free communities.

Mayor Midpantao M. Midtimbang, Jr. said that the municipal government has previously listed several drug-affected barangays but are now subject for “drug clearing.”

“These barangays are still subject todrug-clearing and it has been our goal ever since to have drug-free Guindulungan,” Mayor Midtimbang said.

Mayor Midtimbangsaid they have evaluatedthe barangays last month and hopefully after they comply with all the necessary requirements, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency or PDEA will soon declare some barangays as drug-cleared barangays.

“We are targeting at least at the end of the month or by early January in 2018,” Mayor Midtimbang said.

According to the PDEA, a village can be declared “drug-cleared” or free from illegal drug activities if it meets these six requirements: non-availability of drug supply; absence of drug den, pusher, user; absence of clandestine drug laboratory; active involvement of barangay officials in anti-drug activities; existence of drug awareness, preventive education, and information; and existence of voluntary and compulsory drug treatment and rehabilitation processing desk.

The requirements are mandated under Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation No. 3 series of 2017.

The DDB regulation prescribes three phases of clearing drug-affected barangays. The “pre-operation phase” starts with the laying of groundwork and bases for effective and sustainable clearing operations. House clusters are to be organized with designated cluster leader in each barangay, that will directly report to the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) chairperson all essential facts of any illegal drug activities within his/her cluster such as names of pushers or users, marijuana cultivation activities, clandestine laboratory operations, and other drug-related data. City or municipal anti-drug abuse council and local police unit will then formulate and validate a watch list of drug personalities in every barangay.

The “operation phase” is the actual implementation of drug supply and demand reduction strategies in priority drug-affected barangays, while “post-operation phase” aims to maintain the “drug-cleared” status of barangays, through support activities to be funded from the general fund of the barangay.

In the issuance of drug-clear certificate, the DDB Regulation further directs the establishment of oversight committees which are responsible in declaring a barangay as drug-free after satisfying all parameters.

Guindulungan was created under Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No. 139 on March 31, 2003, and was carved out of the municipality of Talayan. It is politically subdivided into 11 barangays: Ahan, Bagan, Datalpandan, Kalumamis, Kateman, Lambayao, Macasampen, Muslim, Muti, Sampao, and Tambunan II.(GILMHAR A. LAO & ANNE ACOSTA - MINDANAO EXPOSE’)