CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda on Monday constituted a 33,075-strong group composed of barangay officials, bantay bayan, health workers and Nanay community workers as the province-wide Cabalen Drug Watch, which is tasked to monitor and oversee the activities of the confessed drug users and pushers in their respective villages.
The Cabalen Drug Watch will also play a major role in the creation and promotion of healthy drug-free culture in the province and make sure that drug pushers and users who surrender will not go back to their old habit.
Pineda said the 10,000 barangay officials, 11,000 barangay tanod, 3,500 barangay health workers and 8,575 nanay community workers will assist the provincial government and police authorities in overseeing the intensive campaign against illegal drugs in the province.
The governor said the group will take the role as first line of defense in the fight against the proliferation of illegal drugs in the province and frontliners for the rehabilitation and reintegration of the drug users into the mainstream through the help of the local government units.
She ordered the members of the drug watch to encourage the remaining suspected drug users and pushers in their villages who failed to submit themselves to voluntarily surrender.
Pineda also urged them to join the Dalan Ning Pamagbayu (Road to Change) Program for their reformation and integration into the mainstream of the society without fear of being arrested.
“I don’t want any Capampangan dead because of illegal drugs. We’ll give them another chance. I’m going to meet their parents or their families because they are responsible for the drug suspects,” she added.
“We will give them activities to make sure that they will totally quit their addiction and have a better life. I am planning to conduct a tree planting activity on Mount Arayat as part of their physical fitness cum livelihood program,” the governor said.
It can be noted that the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) has initially allotted P10 million for the anti-illegal drug campaign in Pampanga.
The governor also tapped local governments and other line agencies to allot funds for the reformation and rehabilitation of the drug users and pushers who surrender in the province.