APPLICATIONS for "drug free" status of 27 barangays and one municipality in the Central Visayas were deliberated by the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing (ROCBDC) headed by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 7 director Levi Ortiz, who is also chairman of ROCBDC.
Of the 27 barangays, five are located in Negros Oriental, five in Bohol, 16 in Cebu and one in Mandaue City.
Poro town in Camotes Island, Cebu was the lone candidate for the "drug cleared" status during the two-day deliberations held from February 28 to March 1, 2022.
The candidates presented their best practices in implementing the Barangay Drug Clearing Program to the deliberation panel composed of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Health, Philippine National Police and some local government units.
The program seeks to assist the barangays in their fight against illegal drugs.
Ortiz cited the barangay officials for their efforts in trying to solve the problem of illegal drugs in their area.
“We commend our candidates for persevering in their application for the drug-cleared status. Despite the challenges we encountered in the region, especially with typhoon Odette and the surge in Covid-19 cases in the previous months, they still wanted to ensure the effective implementation of anti-illegal drug programs in their respective barangays,” Ortiz said.
The barangays that applied for a drug-free status are Taytay and Cantam-is in Loon town, Lungsodaan in Candijay town, Lapacan Norte in Inabanga and Genonocan in Tubigon, all in Bohol; Cansayahon in Ronda town, Villahermosa in Tabuelan, Don Virgilio Gonzales in Medellin, Dayhagon in Medellin, Doong, Kabangbang and Kangkaibe in Bantayan town, Bantayan Island, Olango and Zaragosa in Aloguinsan, Kabangkalan, Poblacion 4, Maghan-ay, Mag-antoy, Lusong, Jagbuaya and Tomugpa in Tuburan and Subangdaku in Mandaue City, both in Cebu; Nagbo-alao in Basay town, Nalundan in Bindoy, Abis and Canggohob in Mabinay and Linao in Tayasan, both in Negros Oriental.
While the lone candidate for the drug-free municipality is Poro town on Camotes Island, northern Cebu.
Ortiz said that under the Barangay Drug Clearing Program, these barangays will continue to be monitored to ensure that they maintain their drug cleared status.
“We again would like to highlight key areas in the process to avoid misconceptions. Before an applicant barangay is granted the drug-cleared status, identified drug personalities must undergo appropriate intervention programs. These include enrollment to a rehabilitation or reformation program or the conduct of anti-illegal drug operations,” Ortiz added.
"Once the barangay is declared as drug-cleared, law enforcement efforts will continue to ensure immediate intervention in the event there is a reemergence of illegal drug activities," the PDEA 7 director said. (AYB, TPT)