BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia said Tuesday, July 24, that five to 10 barangays in the city are set to be declared free from illegals drugs by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Leonardia said he is supposed to meet with the PDEA-Western Visayas this week, however, the meeting will coincide with the League of Cities' 38th anniversary where President Rodrigo Duterte will be the guest speaker.
He added he will either send a representative or move the meeting next month.
PDEA-Western Visayas had earlier re-evaluated the three barangays in Bacolod to be declared free from illegal drugs.
These are Barangays 5, 24, and 41.
In 2017, these three barangays were declared drug-free by PDEA-Western Visayas but was not recognized after the documents were not signed by the committee. It was also at that time the Negros Island Region was abolished.
Aside from the three barangays, there are eight other barangays that are candidates to be declared free from illegal drugs.
These are Barangays 4, 17, 18, Cabug, Granada, Alangilan, Vista Alegre and Felisa.
“We are hoping that more barangays in Bacolod will be declared drug-free,” Leonardia said.
He said the Duterte administration wants the local government units to do projects in line with the national government.
“It is expected that the local government is supposed to be contributory on the campaign against illegal drugs,” he added.
Leonardia said that during the president’s State of the Nationa Address, Duterte mentioned that the government campaign against illegal drugs will be pursued relentlessly.