TWO more villages in Cagayan de Oro City have been declared drug-cleared by the anti-narcotics agency in Northern Mindanao as of the second quarter of the year.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Northern Mindanao (PDEA-10) cleared Barangays 11 and 19 from the menace of illicit drugs.
Last year, the five villages of Barangays 5,6,8,26 and 37 were also declared drug-free.
The PDEA-10 is looking at three more villages set to be cleared from illegal drugs once requirements are complied as well as the parameters set by the law.
The agency said nine barangays in the city were unaffected at all.
PDEA agent Ben Calibre said some 76 barangays in the region were declared drug-free as of June 13, 2018 during the regional oversight committee meeting composed by the officials of PDEA, police, interior and health department.
So far, a total of 247 villages have been cleared from dangerous drugs in the region including last year's record.
Of this figure, seven are from Cagayan de Oro; 40 in Misamis Oriental; 110 in Misamis Occidental; 39 in Lanao del Norte; 33 in Bukidnon and 18 in Camiguin.
Calibre said these villages were cleared due to the absence of drug users, pushers and dens including the active participation of village officials in the government's anti-drug campaign.
"Dili malikayan nga naay ma-identify nga new users pero naa man pud ang immediate intervention sa mga officials like gipa-enroll sa community-based rehab program,"Calibre said.
"So far sa CdeO and Misamis Oriental walay na-revoke kay active man pud ang mga Barangay Anti-drug Abuse Council (Badac),"he added.
Calibre said they are expecting that more villages across the region will be soon cleared as the authorities are exerting efforts to stop illegal drug trade while village officials help in preventive aspect.