CAMP NAKAR, Lucena City, Quezon – The Quezon Police Provincial Office (QPPO) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) declared five barangays in this province as drug-free on Monday, August 21.
Quezon police chief Police Col. Ledon Monte said that the declaration underwent a thorough validation to ensure that no more drug transactions have been conducted.
He awarded Certificates of Recognition to Barangay Chairpersons Lea Amorada of Barangay Mamala 2, Sariaya; Rommel Barrot of Barangay Tongko, Tayabas City; Roderick Macinas of Barangay Dalahican, here; Jorge Glorioso of Barangay Santa Catalina, Pagbilao, and Edgardo Austan of Barangay 2, Lucban.
Monte added that more barangays are undergoing and will undergo evaluation before finally being declared drug-free.
“We will continue to focus on the remaining barangays so they can meet and pass the validation and assessment conditions before the declaration,” he added.
“We are starting to declare the barangays, this will be followed by the municipality, and later the declaration of the province,” Monte said.
“In the coming days and months, I am positive that one after another, the barangays will be declared drug-free. It is a big challenge for all of us to clean the entire province of illegal drugs and be declared drug-free, but we are still far away, but with their active collaboration between the residents, local government, and stakeholders, we can overcome our one goal,” Monte added.