CEBU CITY – Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia announced on Tuesday an expanded inter-agency campaign to rid more villages of illegal drugs in Cebu City, with increased cooperation from the private sector. Garcia also highlighted new incentives for villages to achieve drug-clear status, offering financial rewards from his office for those that excel in anti-drug efforts.
According to Philippines news Agency, the initiative aims to elevate the quality of service provided by local government to ensure that constituents in Cebu City experience effective governance at the village level. The announcement followed a recent reward distribution where the Cebu City Office of Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) and the Cebu City Anti-drug Abuse Council (CADAC) allocated PHP2.2 million to 12 drug-cleared villages. Each of these villages received PHP100,000 as recognition for their successful anti-drug campaigns.
Jonah John Rodriguez, the COSAP executive director, named the villages declared drug-cleared, including Adlaon, Agsungot, Binaliw, Budlaaan, Cambinocot, Kalubihan, Kamagayan, Kasambagan, Mabini, Punta Prinsesa, Tabunan, and Zapatera. Additionally, a similar reward was extended to another set of villages for having the best Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC), reflecting a broad-based approach to combating drug issues at the community level.
To date, 32 barangays in Cebu City have been declared drug-cleared, marking significant progress in the city's ongoing battle against illegal narcotics.