The Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC), Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC), Provincial Council for the Protection of Children, and the Provincial Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Trafficking and Violence Against Women and Children convened a Joint Council Meeting at the Provincial Capitol Dome, on March 5.

A key highlight of the meeting was the announcement by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) that the Catanduanes Local Council for the Protection of Children ranked 2nd regionwide, while the Local Committee on Anti-Trafficking and Violence Against Women and Children (LCAT-VAWC) ranked 4th regionwide for the year 2023.

Additionally, the DILG reported that the municipalities of Caramoran, San Miguel, and Virac have successfully completed 100% of their projects and implementations under the Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP).

The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office also reported that, from 2018 to the present, eight former rebels have surrendered and received financial and livelihood assistance from the Provincial Government of Catanduanes.

Other key topics discussed during the meeting included the status of VAWC cases and strategies to address them, as presented by the Catanduanes Police Provincial Office. Additionally, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency provided updates on the status of barangay drug clearing efforts and ongoing operations.