THE Lapu-Lapu City Government, in partnership with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), launched yesterday a barangay-based anti-criminality, anti-corruption and anti-illegal drugs program.
Lapu-Lapu is the first local government unit in Region 7 to launch the Masa Masid or Mamamayan’g Ayaw sa Anomaliya, Mamamayan’g Ayaw sa Iligal na Droga program, which is initiated by DILG.
Almost 1,000 members of faith-based organizations, volunteers of the city’s anti-illegal drug campaign, students, police, city and barangay officials came to witness and support the program’s launching at the Mactan Grand Convention Center in Barangay Pajo.
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza, DILG 7 Director Rene Burdeos, Police Regional Office 7 Noli Taliño and Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO) Director Rommel Cabagnot led the activity.
Masa Masid hopes to encourage multi-sectoral partnership in reporting anomalies and criminalities.
In his presentation, Chief Insp. Mark Gifter Sucalit, head of the LCPO City Intelligence Branch, said 27 of the 30 barangays in Lapu-Lapu were “slightly” affected by illegal drugs while two were “moderately” affected.
Sucalit said only Barangay Caohagan was not affected by prohibited drugs.
DILG Lapu-Lapu Director Johnjoan Mende said the implementation of the Masa Masid program will include an advocacy and education campaign; information-gathering and reporting against corruption, criminality and illegal drugs; and a community-based rehabilitation program for recovering drug dependents.
Lapu-Lapu has been active in the fight against illegal drugs and in finding ways to rehabilitate the drug surrenderers.
From July 1 to Oct. 20 this year, Lapu-Lapu had recorded 1,900 drug surrenderers.
The City Government created the City of Lapu-Lapu Auxiliary Force to help in the drug monitoring in the barangay level.
They also hired some drug surrenderers to work in the City-owned material recovery facility in Barangay Mactan. They are job order employees.
At the end of yesterday’s launching the volunteers signed a pledge of commitment to actively participate in the Masa Masid program.