CEBU CITY – More than 600 barangays in Central Visayas remain drug-cleared while 14 others stayed drug-free.
THE Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing discusses the illegal drug situation in various barangays in Central Visayas. (PDEA-7)
This was the result of the recent deliberation of the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing (ROCBDC) headed by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Central Visayas Director Emerson Margate.
During the deliberation on Thursday, June 27, 676 barangays in Region 7 retained their drug-cleared status while 14 barangays maintained their drug-free status.
Of the 676 drug-cleared barangays with retained status, 545 are in Bohol, 114 in Cebu, 13 in Negros Oriental, and four in Mandaue City. The 14 drug-free barangays that retained their status are in Siquijor.
Committee members present during the deliberation were Police Lt. Col. Franco Rudolf Z. Oriol, Dr. Jonathan Neil Erasmo of the Department of Health-Central Visayas, Camille Pateres of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and PDEA-7 Assistant Regional Director George Paul Alcovindas.
According to Leia Alcantara, information officer of PDEA-7, the process of validation and verification of drug-cleared and drug-free barangays ensures that the barangays have sustained their anti-illegal drug programs and new drug activities or relapse cases are immediately addressed.