A TOTAL of 83 barangays out of the 180 in Iloilo City have been declared drug-cleared by the Regional Oversight Committee (ROC).

The status of villages was revealed in a list by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Western Visayas.

In Arevalo, these villages are Mohon; Quezon; San Jose; Sta. Cruz; and Sta. Filomena.

In the City Proper, these are Arsenal Aduana, Danao, Ed Ganzon, Flores, Gloria, Hipodromo, Inday, Kahirupan, Kauswagan, Legaspi De La Rama, Liberation, Magsaysay, Maria Clara, Nonoy, Ortiz, Osmeña, President Roxas, Rima-Rizal, Rizal Ibarra, Roxas Village, Sampaguita, San Agustin, San Felix, San Jose, Sto. Rosario Duran, Tanza Bonifacio, Tanza Timaza Zone 1, Tanza Timawa Zone 2, Veterans Village, and Yulo Arroyo.

In Jaro, these are Arguelles, Buhang, Buntatala, Democracia, Dungon A, El 98 Castilla, Javellana, Lopez Jaena, Luna, MH del Pilar, Montinola, MV Hechanova, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Lourdes, San Jose, San Roque, Seminario, and Sta. Isabel.

In La Paz, these are Aguinaldo, Bantud, Banuyao, Burgos, Hinactacan, Lopez Jaena Sur, and Luna.

In Lapuz, these are Jalandoni Estate, Libertad, Loboc and Punong.

In Mandurriao, these are Calahunan, Dungon C, Guzman-Jesena, Pali-Benedicto, PHHC Block 17, PHHC Block 22, San Rafael, Santa Rosa and Taft North.

In Molo, these are Avanceña, Cochero, Infante, North Fundidor, Poblacion, San Antonio, South Fundidor San Pedro, Taal and Tap-oc.

PDEA-Western Visayas chairs ROC with member representatives from Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine National Police (PNP) and local government units (LGUs).

The Dangerous Drugs Board sets guidelines for drug-cleared barangay. These include the absence of the following: illegal drugs supply; transit or transshipment activity; laboratory; clandestine chemical warehouse; marijuana cultivation site; drug den, dive or resort; drug pusher, user or dependent; drug protector, and coddler or financier.

There should also be active barangay officials in anti-drug activities, as well as the involvement of Sangguniang Kabataan to maintain drug-free community; awareness, preventive education and information programs; and voluntary and compulsory drug treatment rehabilitation processing desk. (PR)