PIA’s ‘Panagtigum’ strengthens stand for drug-free community in San Miguel, Surigao Sur
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
SAN MIGUEL, Surigao del Sur (PIA) — Unity and dialogue took center stage as residents, youth, educators, and community leaders of Barangay Magroyong recently gathered for the “Panagtigum sa Barangay,’ a grassroots forum for a drug-free community.
Spearheaded by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga in partnership with the municipal government of San Miguel, the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Department of Education (DepEd), and the Saint Theresa College Criminology Department, the forum held on Sept. 23 reinforced community efforts in sustaining drug-cleared and drug-free barangays while empowering people to take active roles in peacebuilding.
A collective responsibility
In his message delivered by Executive Consultant Sheila Buniel, Mayor Michael T. Corilla reaffirmed that peace, order, and public safety remain at the heart of San Miguel’s development agenda.
“Bawat buhay mahalaga (Every life is importabt),” the mayor underscored, aligning the municipality’s initiatives with the BIDA (Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan) advocacy. He pointed to the LGU’s interventions for the youth, including sports clinics, basketball tournaments, trainings, symposiums, and information campaigns, as proactive steps to keep young people engaged in meaningful activities, steering them away from the lure of illegal drugs.
“These efforts reflect our shared responsibility to protect lives and keep our communities safe and drug-free,” Corilla emphasized.
Police: Safeguarding the youth’s future
Reiterating that Barangay Magroyong remains a drug-free community, he challenged the young people present to make responsible choices that would ensure the barangay remains a safe and resilient place for generations to come.
Dialogue as a tool for empowerment
The ‘Panagtigum,’ which meant gathering, became a space for collective dialogue, enabling residents, barangay officials, teachers, parents, and youth to directly engage with agency representatives. It concluded with a symbolic community pledge, reaffirming Magroyong’s commitment to a drug-free environment.
DepEd educators and criminology students of Saint Theresa College enriched the discussions by raising critical perspectiveThrough Panagtigum, PIA Caraga continues to provide a platform for grassroots dialogue that strengthens community bonds, nurtures informed decision-making, and inspires collective action. In San Miguel, it has become a unifying tool to sustain peace and resilience, anchored on the vision of a drug-free future for every family and every barangay.
Empowering Communities Through Information
As part of the PIA Caraga’s grassroots communication strategy, the Panagtigum underscores the importance of information dissemination as a tool for development. By directly engaging with communities, the forum bridges government initiatives with local realities, ensuring that policies and programs are better understood and effectively implemented at the barangay level.
Sustaining the gains
Barangay Magroyong, home to over 2,000 residents, is one of San Miguel’s model barangays for maintaining a drug-free status. Stakeholders are committed to sustaining the gains through continuous community education, youth development activities, and strengthened coordination between the LGU, PNP, schools, and civil society organizations, emphasizing the need to prepare the next generation as proactive advocates against illegal drugs. (NGPB, PIA Surigao del Sur)
