Fight against illegal drugs: Osmeña backs ‘positive’ style

CEBU, Philippines — Mayor Tomas Osmeña supports the “positive approach” of Tisa Barangay Captain Phillip Zafra in addressing the problem of illegal drugs in his barangay.

Zafra is also the president of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) in Cebu City.

Unlike the “shame campaign” of Barangay Pajo in Lapu-Lapu City where houses that coddle drug users are labeled “IDENTIFIED DRUG DEN,” Pasil is putting up posters that read “drug free area”.

Osmeña agrees with the move.

“It’s good, it’s very positive, that’s good…we will go through the proper procedure,” the mayor said.

“To a certain extent, we always have to try something… if it doesn’t work, we will rewind, we will try anything,” he added.

Zafra himself encourages other barangays to adopt a positive approach, as he believes the approach in Barangay Pajo is unconstitutional.

In Tisa, he said, a house-to-house investigation is ongoing to check if the house is being used as a drug den. A drug den is a house or a building where drug users go to use illegal drugs.

Zafra said he is glad the mayor approves of his methods.

"I believe that we need to innovate ways on how to fight and improve our strategies in our campaign against illegal drugs," he said.

"It is my thrust that through this campaign we can show to all that the greatest part of our barangay are really not into it and hopefully will rally support to the rest of the city thereby strengthening our hold in the grassroots level as it will help promote awareness, public consciousness and collective action against illegal drugs," he said further.

Zafra said he is hopeful that the other barangays in the city will follow the positive approach through the Barangay Advocates for Rehabilitation and Knockout approach Against Drug Abuse and Addiction. — /JMO (FREEMAN)