PALAYAN CITY – Various agencies, including local government units, law enforcement agencies and learning institutions, have forged a pact to intensify the campaign against illegal drugs to save the “entire society” from the menace in the province- wide summit spearheaded by this city and the provincial government of Nueva Ecija at the Nueva Ecija Convention Center here Friday.
Mayor Adrianne Mae Cuevas of this city said thousands of participants have pledged to participate in various capacities to eradicate all forms of illegal drugs. “Illegal drugs destroy the very foundation of our society,” Cuevas said, adding everyone must really get involved in the stepped-up drive.
“Lahat tayo’y kasangkot at dapat kumilos, huwag nating hintayin na wasakin nito ang ating mga pamilya at kabuuan ng ating lipunan. Ang paglipol sa droga ay pananagutan nating lahat. Hindi mamaya o bukas kundi now na.” Cuevas said.
Gov. Aurelio Umali, said the provincial government will allocate P10 million in its next peace and order fund. “Novo Ecijanos, we always stand by the dreams of our family. Lalaban tayo. Kalaban ang masamang bisyong ito. Sasama tayo, tatayuan, sapagkat hinahamon, hindi lang kinabukasan ng isang bata, hinahamon pati ang kapayapaan ng ating lalawigan,” Umali stressed.
Without citing the exact number of detainees at the provincial jail, Umali said an inventory showed 70 percent are facing drug-related charges. A report from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) showed that 189 of the total 849 villages of Nueva Ecija are affected with the illegal drugs.
This places the province second to Pampanga, which has 193 out of 505 villages in number of drug-affected villages in the region.
