In Cebu’s fight vs illegal drugs: LGUs, police stations given cash incentives

CEBU, Philippines - Several local government units, barangays and police stations in Cebu yesterday received cash incentives from the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office for their "successful anti-illegal drug operations."

The CPADAO gave cash and trophies to five cities, 15 municipalities, 24 barangays, five city police stations and 15 municipal police stations, which they consider as top-performing with regards to Cebu province's fight against illegal drugs or the Sugbo Kontra Droga (SuKoD) program.

The awarding was held yesterday at the Cebu Grand Convention Center.

Danao City leads the five chosen cities and received P500,000. It was followed by Carcar City which received P300,000 and Bogo City which was rewarded P200,000. Naga City was acknowledged as fourth placer and Talisay City as fifth top performing city.

As for the municipalities, Liloan got the highest incentive also at P500,000 for being the number one top performing municipality, followed by Consolacion which received P300, 000, and San Francisco which got P200,000. They were followed by Cordova and Barili being fourth and fifth placers, respectively, and then by San Remigio, Pinamungajan, Balamban, Medellin, Poro, Sogod, San Fernando, Samboan, Ginatilan, and Tabogon.

The CPADAO also rewarded the 24 top performing barangays: Liling in Naga City; Panadtaran in San Fernando; Consolacion in Dalaguete; Poblacion in Santander; Angilan in Aloguinsan; Sta. Lucia in Asturias; Pondol in Balamban; Candugay in Barili; Daungan in Pinamungajan; Gairan in Bogo City; San Agustin in Madridejos; Kayam in San Remigio; Olivo in Tabuelan; Baring in Carmen; Flores in Catmon; Suba in Danao City; Poblacion in Liloan; Esperanza in Poro; Pulpogan in Consolacion; Cogon in Cordova; Malabugo in Badian; Panlaan in Dumanjug; Poblacion in Ginatilan; and Bingay in Borbon.

Top performing city police stations in Cebu were also rewarded, namely Da-nao City Police Station, which received P300,000 for being first in rank; Bogo City Police Station which got P200,000 for being second; and Talisay City Police Station which received P100,000 for placing third. Carcar City Police Station and Naga City Police Station also received cash reward for being fourth and fifth, respectively.

In the municipal level, the same cash reward was granted to Consolacion Police Station for being first, followed by Balamban Police Station and Liloan Police Station.

Police Regional Office-7 director Noli Taliño, who attended the awarding ceremony, said that anti-illegal drug operations were successfully conducted in Central Visayas. 

He added that so far this year, there were already 76, 000 surrenderers in the region.

Taliño said Central Visayas police has implemented different strategies under the country's fight against illegal drugs, which include the Oplan Double Barrel Alpha, or the strategy against "rich and high-profiled" drug users.

"Kay dili ra man mga pobre ang atong dakpon ug itukhang (Tuktok Hangyo)," Taliño said.

Other strategies being implemented by the police under Oplan Tokhang, according to Taliño, include the Operation Taphang or "Tapok-hangyo," under which drug surrenderers are gathered together and the police pleaded with them to stop from their illegal activities. Another strategy called Operation Texthang involves people involved in drugs who give information to authorities through text message.

Also present during the awarding ceremony was Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, who said that the Capitol has scholarship programs for the surrenderers designed to help these people change for the better, train and provide them jobs.

"Kay di man pwede nga abi kay ni-surrender sila kay na-involve sila sa drugs, wala na lang pod ilang kinabuhi," Magpale said.

CPADAO head Ivy Durano-Meca said that SuKoD program is primarily created to strengthen the council's functions and to help increase community involvement in the fight against illegal drugs. (FREEMAN)