NONE of the 21 barangays of San Fernando town has been declared a drug-cleared village.
Cited as reason was the inactivity of the anti-drug abuse councils (ADAC) of the barangays.
In contrast, the Province’s anti-drug abuse program had better success at the municipal level.
The Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (Cpadao) described the performance of the municipal ADAC as “improving” compared to what it did in 2015, the year Cpadao launched its Sugbo Kontra Droga Program.
“San Fernando has been very compliant with the Sugbo Kontra Droga Program in the past year. They’ve been very active in terms of programs under education, programs under the social welfare, and programs under the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) in terms of the functionality and effectiveness of the ADAC,” said Ivy Durano, Cpadao executive director.
Durano said five barangays were endorsed to her office last year for declaration as drug-cleared villages. But the villages did not pass Cpadao’s assessment, so the applications were not endorsed to the Regional Oversight Committee, which is headed by the Philppine Drug Enforcement Agency 7.
The unsustained anti-drug abuse programs also contributed to their failure in being declared drug-free.
Only 66 drug dependents have enlisted in the town’s anti-drug abuse programs. (From AZLG of SuperBalita, KAL)