THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Davao recorded at least 343 barangays in Davao Region that remain to be "drug-affected."
PDEA-Davao Director Antonio Rivera said during a forum Wednesday, August 28, at The Royal Mandaya Hotel, that in Davao Region, out of 1,162 barangays, 624 were monitored to be affected by illegal drugs.
Of this figure, 281 barangays have been cleared recently with the remaining 343 barangays still subject for clearing. The bulk of the drug-cleared villages are in Davao Oriental.
A "drug-cleared" status means that the Oversight Committee composed of PDEA as the chairman, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) regional director or representative as the vice-chairman, Philippine National Police, Department of Health, and local government unit representatives as the members have convened and validated the non-availability of drug supply in the area and the absence of drug transit activity, clandestine drug laboratory, warehouse, chemical warehouse, marijuana cultivation site, drug den or resort, drug pushers, and drug users.
"The most important parameters here is cleared na sila, identified na nila kung kinsa tong nagagamit and then nag-surrender natong na-identify nila sa ilahang barangay and then subject nato nila sa community-based rehabilitation program," Rivera said.
He said there is a possibility to revoke the declaration should reports of illegal drug activities arise again.
The concerned barangay shall be given 30 days to take appropriate action. Failure to do so shall be a ground to declare the concerned barangay as "drug-affected" and will be subjected again to barangay drug-clearing operations.
In Davao City, only two barangays have been declared drug-cleared. These are the barangays Sirib and Dacudao in Calinan District after they complied with the parameters set by the board for a drug-cleared barangay.
Rivera said there are five more barangays in the city that will soon be declared drug-cleared. He, however, did not yet divulge what barangays are these as processing of requirements is still ongoing.
"Hopefully, before the year-end ma-cleared na ang lima," he said.