ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) announced that 239 out of the 249 barangays in Sultan Kudarat are now either drug-cleared or drug-free, representing 95.98 percent of the total barangays in the province.
PDEA Regional Director Benjamin Recites III reported that of the 239 barangays, 228 maintained their drug-cleared status while 11 were verified as drug-free.
“Only 10 barangays in the province did not retain their drug-cleared status due to the monitored presence of drug personalities. Of these, four are in Isulan, three in Tacurong City, two in Esperanza, and one in Lebak,” Recites said.
The update was presented during the province-wide deliberation of the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Program held at the provincial gymnasium in Isulan on September 25. The committee is composed of representatives from PDEA, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Health, and the Philippine National Police.
Recites explained that barangays classified as drug-cleared were once affected but have since undergone validation, including the activation of their Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils and the identification of all drug personalities. In contrast, drug-free barangays are those that never had reports of illegal drug activities, users, or pushers.
Governor Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu, who attended the deliberation, emphasized the importance of sustaining the gains in the anti-drug campaign.
“Commitment gets you started, but it is consistency and continuity that make us attain our goals and objectives,” Mangudadatu said. “We have to ensure that Sultan Kudarat is drug-free. Prevention is always better than cure.”
The governor also reminded stakeholders that achievements should go beyond statistics.
“I’m very happy that more than 90% of our barangays are drug-cleared. But at the end of the day, it is not only the paper ang hinahanap natin, but also the reality. The paper we see today is just a guideline. Dapat totoo, realistic, at nakikita ng taumbayan that our province is free from drugs,” he added.
Mangudadatu assured that the provincial government will continue working with partner agencies to ensure that the remaining barangays will soon be declared drug-cleared.