35 barangays endorsed for “drug-cleared” tag

CEBU, Philippines —  Thirty-five more barangays were pushed to be included in the list of drug-cleared barangays during the next meeting of the province’s Oversight Committee on May 4.

Originally, 38 barangays were endorsed. Thirteen are from Pilar; eight from San Remigio; nine from Alegria; three from Danao City; three from Medellin; one from Naga City and another one from San Francisco.

Three of the 38 barangays in these local government units are eyed to be re-endorsed and have a possibility that they will not be declared as drug-cleared.

Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CPADAO) Chief Carmen Ivy Remedios Durano-Meca said that this is due to the presence of a high-value drug personality.

"Mao nga 35 ra gyud ang klaro nga ma-declare because naa siya'y high-value target," she told reporters yesterday.

 The Committee is an intergovernmental coalition composed of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), CPADAO, Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Local Government Unit (LGU), and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

In the coordination meeting, the PDEA emphasized the importance of conducting an on-site validation to verify the papers submitted to the Oversight Committee by those who seek their barangays to be declared drug-cleared.

In Cebu Province, there are 1,066 barangays, wherein only 18 are considered drug-free or unaffected, while the remaining 888 are drug-infested.

About 160 barangays have been declared drug-cleared in 2017.

PDEA–7 Spokesperson Leia Albiar said that the 35 barangays that the CPADAO endorsed are still subject for on-site validation.

Albiar reiterated that this is all becoming possible because of the efforts and cooperation of the local government units (LGU) and the barangays that are thoroughly involved in the whole process.

“Nagpasalamat gyud mi og dako sa LGU, sa mga barangays kay sila nangunay gyud sa pag-comply sa mga requirements kami igo ra mo-guide sa ilang mga kuwang,” said Albiar.

She however clarified that it doesn’t mean that once a particular barangay was endorsed as drug-cleared barangay, then they will be automatically declared as drug cleared.

“Ang drug cleared (barangay) mao na ang from affected siya, naay mga specialize programs ang barangay to protect itself sa possibility nga mobalik ang mga drug personalities sa ilang activities, na-neutralized na ang mga drug personalities, either wala na or nibalhin na.  Ang mga users kay nagpa-enroll na og community-based drug rehabilitation and ang BADAC active,” said Albiar. —Ermida Q. Moradas/GAN (FREEMAN)