AUTHORITIES said 810 barangays in Cebu Province are affected by illegal drugs this year.

That is more than 75 percent of the province’s 1,066 barangays, according to the data of the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CPADAO) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

The drug affectation rate this year, though, is lower compared to the 90 percent affection recorded in 2016.

Of the 810 barangays, 14 are seriously affected by the drug problem, 403 are moderately affected and 393 are slightly affected, said CPADAO executive director Ivy Meca.

She said 11 barangays are not infested with illegal drugs. The regional oversight committee, led by PDEA, also gave drug-cleared statuses to 245 barangays.

Meca presented her report during the year-end assessment of Capitol’s departments.

She said not a single drug-cleared barangay has been stripped of its status.

She said they’ve been monitoring these barangays and the CPADAO points out any mistake that these barangays need to correct to keep their status. (from AZLG of SuperBalita Cebu)