by (Eva Visperas
DESPITE significant gains in the anti-drug campaign, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said 68 barangays in Pangasinan remain drug-affected, underscoring the ongoing challenges in fully clearing the province of illegal drugs.
In an interview, PDEA-Pangasinan provincial officer Dexter Asayco revealed that while about 95 percent of barangays have already been declared drug-cleared, a small but critical number continues to struggle due to persistent drug personalities and relapse cases.
“For now, the number of remaining drug-affected barangays in Pangasinan is 68,” he said, noting that authorities expect the number to gradually decrease as operations continue.
However, he admitted that the situation remains “alarming” due to ongoing attempts to bring illegal drugs into the province.
“We still consider it alarming because there are still attempts to enter,” Asayco said, citing recent monitoring and operations as a basis for his assessment.
Authorities also pointed to relapse among former drug offenders as a major hurdle. Many of those being monitored were previously arrested or had already undergone the government’s community-based rehabilitation program.
“Most of the drug personalities are those who were already caught and underwent rehabilitation. These are what we call relapsed individuals,” he said.
He also mentioned that some barangays have reverted to being drug-affected after previously being cleared, due to the reappearance of drug personalities.
He pointed out that another challenge is compliance with stricter requirements for drug-cleared status. Barangays must ensure that all identified drug personalities have completed rehabilitation programs, including placement in Balay Silangan facilities for those categorized as pushers.
However, not all local government units have such facilities, and financial constraints make it difficult for some areas to send individuals for rehabilitation.
“It is hard for them because not all towns have Balay Silangan, and there are financial problems,” he said.
At present, several cities and municipalities still have barangays that have never been cleared since the program began in 2016, largely due to difficulties in accounting for all drug personalities.
Despite these challenges, Asayco emphasized that enforcement efforts remain strong. Attempts to use Pangasinan as a transit point for illegal drugs, such as the dumping of floating shabu in nearby coastal areas, have been successfully foiled through coordinated operations.
A multi-agency task force composed of the Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, Maritime Group, and even local fishermen has been instrumental in preventing drug shipments from entering the province.
“Their attempt to enter our shoreline was not successful because of our task force. Our fishermen are now aware, and our coordination is fast,” he said.