Narra mayor Gerandy Danao has given himself a January 2020 deadline to eliminate illegal drugs in his municipality, working with law enforcement authorities.
“Kailangan linisin talaga. Noong wala pa tayo dyan, nagkakagulo pa pero noong naupo na tayo, medyo talagang nag-inot inot na. Lahat po lilinisin natin, wala po tayong ititira dyan. Noong nakaraan may limang personalities na nahuli at na-inquest, may mga isusunod na naman tayo dyan na dadamputin ng mga pulis na personalities at by January linis na ‘yan,” Mayor Danao said following the inauguration of the 4th Balay Silangan in Narra on December 5.
Danao said as far as he is aware, “wiping out” the problem in Narra will not be a tedious work since it does not have any “big time” personalities involved in drug distribution.
He said their town is only a “passageway” for drugs that are either being distributed from southern or northern Palawan.
“Sa Narra ay walang malaking tao sa droga. Ang Narra po ay dinadaanan po ng mga nagbebenta, ‘yon ang inaabangan, kasi ang Narra daanan ‘yan. Pero ang concern ko lang din bakit may tumatanggap, dapat kung dadaan, dumaan lang kaso may ilang tumatanggap. Ang byahe from north to south, kaya hindi natin masabi kasi gitna ang Narra,” he said.
Danao said they are doing their best to make Narra drug-cleared since only two barangays remain to be drug-affected — Panacan I and Panacan II.
“Lahat ng paraan ginagawa namin para maalagaan ang Narra dahil dalawa na lang naman ang hindi cleared, Panacan I and II. ero dapat cleared na rin sila, hindi lang sila nakapag-submit ng papeles,” he said.
He said the Balay Silangan or halfway home for drug surrenderees is where they can renew their lives.
Danao said the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-led shelter offers temporary refuge with the objective of reforming drug offenders into self-sufficient and law-abiding members of their municipality.
Balay Silangan can provide general interventions such as continuing education and health awareness, and psychological/spiritual/physical activities such as counseling, moral recovery, values formation, and personal and life skills, among others.
“Dyan sa Balay Silangan natin makikita ang mga kapatid natin na gustong magbagong buhay kaya ipinapaalam natin sa lahat ng mga mag-a-attend sa Balay Silangan ay magandang nandoon sila para makita nila kung ano ang inilalakad natin para sa kanilang pagbabago ng malayo sa paggamit ng droga,” he said.
