A TOTAL of 323 villages in Davao Region have been declared drug cleared after meeting all the parameters which include the absence of illegal drug supply.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Davao assistant director Behn Joseph Tesiorna bared that out of the 633 drug-affected villages, 310 remain to be affected by illegal drugs.
As of November 2019, Davao del Norte posted the most number of drug-cleared villages with 86; followed by Davao de Oro with 79; Davao Oriental (75); Davao del Sur (47); Davao Occidental (32); and Davao City with four.
According to the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), before a certain barangay will be declared drug-free, it must undergo assessment and validation from the chief of police, which then must be certified by the local executive, PDEA, the Department of Health, Department of Interior Local Government, and the members of the oversight committee before it will be issued with a drug-free certificate.
Parameters that are set before a village can be declared as drug free include the non-availability of drug supply; absence of drug den, pusher, and user; absence of clandestine drug laboratory; active involvement of barangay officials in anti-drug activities; existence of drug awareness, preventive education and information; and existence of voluntary and compulsory drug treatment and rehabilitation processing desk.
Tesiorna said there are also villages that have reappeared in the list if there are reported illegal drugs activities in the area.
However, the concerned village is given 30 days to take appropriate action so that it will be removed from the drug-affected village list.
If the barangay fails to clear the area of illegal drugs, it will be declared anew as “drug affected” and will then be subjected again to drug-clearing operations.