Valenzuela City Government's effort to clear drugs within its jurisdiction has paid off as the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) certifies Barangay Wawang Pulo as a drug-cleared community.

Based on the records and the series of drug clearing operations conducted for the period of August 8, 2016 to present, Barangay Wawang Pulo has met the parameters set forth under Section 8 of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation No. 3, Series of 2017, or the “Strengthening the Implementation of Barangay Drug Clearing Program” namely: absence of drug supply, drug transit/transshipment activity; drug laboratory and warehouse; chemical warehouse; marijuana cultivation site; drug den; drug pusher; protector, coddler and financier; and user/dependent.

Active involvement of barangay officials in anti-drug activities and in maintaining the drug-liberated status of the barangay were also noted, along with activities on drug awareness, preventive education and information, and other related programs; and the existence of voluntary and compulsory drug treatment and rehabilitation processing desk.

Barangay Wawang Pulo met all the abovementioned indicators and received PDEA’s final nod on June 2, 2017.  The certification was attested by City Mayor REX Gatchalian, certified by Valenzuela City Police Station (VCPS) chief, PSSUPT Ronaldo Mendoza, and validated by DILG-Valenzuela City Director, Ms. Mary Jane S.E. Nacario and PDEA Regional Director, Mr. Wilkins M. Villanueva.

City Mayor REX Gatchalian commends the efforts of the barangay officials of Wawang Pulo, local Philippine National Police and the Valenzuela Anti-Drug Abuse Council (VADAC) which made the abovementioned milestone in the city’s fight against illegal drugs possible.

The Mayor further said that more barangays are already “drug-cleared” as per the list of the city’s oversight committee, which was also created by virtue of the DBB Regulation, and are now waiting for the final validation by PDEA.

With the initial achievement of Barangay Wawang Pulo, a community at the northernmost end of the city, Mayor REX believes that more barangays will follow suit and shall be declared drug-cleared in the coming days as the City remains vigilant against the proliferation of illegal drugs.

In April 2017, the city government pilots the Philippine’s first mobile drug testing through the Tokhang One-Stop Shop, as part of the city’s comprehensive anti-drug support program, the Valenzuela City Cares Plus or simply, VC Cares Plus which was launched in August 2016.  A team composed of local policemen, personnel from VADAC and the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), local health department’s accredited doctors, local barangay officials, and allied spiritual and community leaders are deployed in the communities to convince the suspected drug offenders to surrender to local authorities for a chance to make their lives better.

Under the VC Cares Plus, the city has already funded the center-based rehabilitation of some 141 drug dependents.  They have graduated from the program last May 10, 2017 and will undergo an 18-month After Care Program wherein they will be closely monitored and provided with job and livelihood opportunities.

Some 1,655 individuals, on the other hand, currently undergoes community based rehabilitation through a Community Wellness Program implemented by VADAC.