THREE barangays in Negros Occidental are among the 26 villages in Western Visayas that were declared drug-cleared by the Regional Oversight Committee (ROC) on Dangerous Drugs Tuesday, April 27.

The barangays are Batea and Pasil in E.B. Magalona and Sebucauan in Isabela, based on the report of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Western Visayas.

The assessment and screening was done by the ROC composed of the regional directors of the PDEA, Police Regional Office-Western Visayas, Department of Health, and the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Representatives from the different barangays assisted by their local government units presented and defended their applications and folders in compliance with the parameters of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program mandated by DDB Reg. 3 series of 2017, with the ROC members conducting actual evaluation of each participant barangay applicant.

PDEA-Western Visayas said they will continue to closely collaborate with the concerned counterparts to increase the number of barangays to be cleared through proper implementation of DDB Regulation 3 series of 2017 and the Omnibus Procedures in Declaring a Drug Affected Barangay as Drug Cleared.