Pangasinan bikers, police pedal against illegal drugs

MANAOAG - Around 500 cycling enthusiasts, bike patrollers, and police personnel from six congressional districts of Pangasinan participated in a bike tour conducted by the Pangasinan Provincial Police Office (PPPO) last Wednesday here.

Chief Insp. Demosthenes Magnaan, acting chief of the police community relations division of Pangasinan PPO, said the bike tour, dubbed "Padyak para sa Pagbabago", is aimed at raising the awareness of the public in the fight against illegal drugs.

Magnaan said the project, with the theme “Mamamayan ayaw sa Anomalya, Mamamayan Ayaw sa Iligal na Droga (MASA MASID) is part of PPO’s anti-illegal drug campaign wherein participants distributed information materials on the ill-effects of illegal drugs to bystanders in all the covered barangays during the conduct of the activity.

“As we all know, magiging successful lang ang ating campaign against illegal drugs if we can get the support of our community that is why in this activity we involved our stakeholders for them to support our anti-illegal drug campaign,” he said.

Magnaan said the activity is the first bike tour spearheaded by the Pangasinan PPO in partnership with the provincial government of Pangasinan, local government units, and different stakeholders.

Bikers from the first to fourth district in the province started their tour from the CSI Stadia in Dagupan City while participants from the fifth and six districts started from SM City Rosales, both going to the municipal hall of Manaoag town.

Each participant paid P500 for the registration fee that is inclusive of uniform.         

                    

“The proceeds collected from the registration fees paid by all participants will form part of the gift-giving activity of Pangasinan PPO on December 19 that will benefit orphans, children confined in hospitals, and less fortunate children,” Magnaan said.

Likewise, leaflets on safety tips pertaining to robbery and theft were also distributed to onlookers.   

   

“It’s December time and we are expecting na medyo tataas ‘yong incidence ng robbery and theft, so this is also in anticipation for that particular problem para makaiwas ang ating mga kababayan,” he added.

Also present during the activity were Senior Supt. Ronald Oliver Lee, acting provincial director of Pangasinan PPO, Senior Supt. Rollie Saltat, chief of regional police community relations division in PNP-Region 1, and Lawyer Monday Samson, provincial director of the National Police Commission. (PIA-1, Pangasinan)