Chan hands cash incentives to two ‘drug-cleared’ Olango barangays

Lapu-Lapu Mayor Junard ‘Ahong’ Chan during the awarding of cash incentives to village chiefs of barangays Baring and Tingo. CDN Digital photo | Futch Anthony Inso

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines—The Lapu-Lapu City Government gave cash incentives to two barangays in Olango Island, after they were declared by the regional oversight committee as drug-cleared barangays.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan, together with City of Lapu-Lapu Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (CLOSAP) head Garry Lao, personally turned over P50,000 checks each to Barangays Baring and Tingo for the feat.

READ: Chan to give incentives to two drug-cleared Lapu barangays

“Kani timaan ni siya nga maayo og leadership ang mga kapitan, nga gi-awardan nato karon,” Chan said.

(This is proof of the good leadership of the chiefs of these barangays we are awarding.)

Tingo barangay captain Audie Flores expressed his gratitude to the mayor for the cash incentive that they received, saying it will help a lot in implementing the programs and projects of their barangay anti-drug abused council (BADAC).

“Dili gyud tawn lalim didto sa isla. Kay pagpapundok lang anang mga surrenderers, pagkalisora gyud daan. Pero tungod ni sa paningkamot namo diri sa barangay, hinungdan nga nadeklarar mi nga drug-cleared,” Flores said.

(It is not easy on the island. Even just rounding uo the surrenderers is difficult. But because of our hard work in the barangay, we were declared drug-cleared.) 

Baring barangay captain Romulo Wagwag also said that he will do his best to maintain the drug-cleared status of their barangay.

“Maningkamot lang mi nga among paningkuhaon nga ma-maintain namo ang pagka-declare sa among barangay,” Wagwag said.

(We will work hard to maintain the drug-cleared status of our barangay.)

Earlier, the regional oversight committee, headed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7),  declared barangay Caohagan, an islet barangay in Olango island, as a drug-free barangay.

Aside from this, Chan also handed over to the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO), represented by city director Police Colonel Arnel Banzon, the check worth P100,000, as a financial assistance reward for the successful anti-drug operation and arrest of a high-value target that resulted in the confiscation of 4.1 kilos of shabu worth P27,880,000.

Banzon, for his part, said that they would have not achieved this without the help of other sectors in the community.

“Ang katawhan, ang barangay, kapolisan, ug ang PDEA nagtinabangay aron mamahimong drug-free ang Baring ug Tingo,” Banzon said.

(The community, the barangay, police and PDEA all helped each other in making Baring and Tingo drug-cleared barangays.)

Mayor Chan also turned over the “Certificate of Recognition” to PDEA agents in recognition of their exemplary work and performance, which resulted in the declaration of Barangay Baring and Barangay Tingo as drug-cleared barangays. 

/bmjo