EIGHT barangays in Cebu have been officially declared drug-cleared after passing the evaluation and validation conducted by the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing (ROCBDC) on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, at the Goldberry Hotel and Suites in Lapu-Lapu City.
The deliberation was led by the director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 and ROCBDC chairman Joel Plaza.
The newly declared drug-cleared areas are Bolinawan and Poblacion II in the City of Carcar; Poblacion 7 in Tuburan; Alang-Alang in Mandaue City; and four in Lapu-Lapu City, which include Pajo, Pajac, Babag and Barangay Agus.
During the assessment, the barangay officials attending the deliberation presented their accomplishments and the measures taken to sustain programs against illegal drugs under the Barangay Drug Clearing Program, pursuant to Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation Number 4, Series of 2021.
They also answered questions from the committee regarding the strategies they implemented and their community-based rehabilitation initiatives for individuals who use illegal drugs, referred to as persons who used drugs.
PDEA 7 explained that a barangay declared drug-cleared means that all drug personalities have been accounted for to undergo appropriate intervention programs and most importantly, the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council in that barangay must still be functional.
Other committee members present during the deliberation included Celerino Magto Jr., chief of the Local Government Monitoring and Evaluation Division of the Department of the Interior and Local Government 7 and ROCBDC vice chairperson Dr. Nelner Omus of the Department of Health 7 and Maj. Delos Santos from the Police Regional Office 7.
According to PDEA data, out of the 2,312 barangays in Central Visayas, 1,611 have already been declared drug-cleared, while 36 are drug-free. / AYB