Daily Tribune (Philippines)

5 QC barangays on track vs illegal drugs

- BY JING VILLAMENTE

The local government of Quezon City on Wednesday disclosed that at least five more barangays in the city are set to be declared drug-cleared amid the intensifie­d anti-illegal drug campaigns.

Quezon City Vice Mayor Gian Sotto — who co-chairs the city’s Anti-Drug

Abuse Advisory Council (QC-ADAAC) — attributed the progress to the city’s effective informatio­n campaign and drug prevention programs.

He also revealed a significan­t decrease in the number of drug users and pushers in the city.

“The present city administra­tion’s informatio­n and prevention drive has been instrument­al,” Sotto said.

The vice mayor also cited the city’s livelihood program and the active participat­ion of barangays, schools and other stakeholde­rs as contributi­ng factors, adding that educating the youth has played a key role in the fight against illegal drugs.

Sotto expressed confidence that Quezon City is making headway in its anti-drug efforts, citing police data showing that arrested drug personalit­ies recently came from outside the city.

The names of the five barangays being declared drug-cleared were withheld pending final validation by the QC-ADAAC council. They will join the existing 94 barangays in Quezon City that have already received the designatio­n.

The announceme­nt came during the celebratio­n of the Internatio­nal Day Against Drug Abuse at the Philippine Public Safety College which featured a motorcade by the Riders Against Drugs group and opening remarks by Dangerous Drugs Board chairperso­n Secretary Catalino Cuy.

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