LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) declared 446 barangays in this province as drug free during the joint third quarter meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PDAC) at the capitol here on September 27.
The drug-free barangays constitute 79.78 percent of the 559 total barangays of the province comprised of 21 municipalities and two cities.
The PDEA and other concerned law enforcement agencies are conducting an intensified campaign against illegal drugs to achieve a drug-free province at the soonest possible time.
The agency also said that 15 Bahay Silangan have been established in this province to help rehabilitate drug offenders and surrenderers.
These accomplishments against illegal drugs immensely contributed to the “generally peaceful” situation of this province in the third quarter, authorities said.
Ilocos Norte Provincial Planning and Development Officer Pedro S. Agcaoili Jr. presided over the meeting on behalf of Gov. Matthew Marcos Manotoc.