CPADAO confident: DILG citation ‘in the bag’

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CPADAO) is more optimistic now that the drug status of the barangays will not hinder the Cebu provincial government from getting a Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG).

CPDAO head Carmen Durano Meca said the Department of Interior and Local Government will ask the said office to submit a list of barangays declared free and cleared from illegal drugs as an additional parameter for a local government to become worthy of receiving an SGLG.

As stated on the website of DILG, the SGLG symbolizes the integrity and good performance of local governments based on the documented efforts to address three cores; disaster preparedness, good financial housekeeping, and social protection.

Cebu Province needs at least 213 drug-cleared barangays to get the 20-percent margin set by DILG on or before the last week of May.

At present, there are 160 drug-cleared barangays and 18 other drug-free barangays. Drug-cleared barangays are those that have a history of being affected by illegal drugs meanwhile drug-free are those that were declared unaffected by drugs.

Meca explained that CPADAO is optimistic that Cebu Province might hit the target considering that there are 70 more barangays that are planned to be endorsed to the Oversight Committee for declaration as drug-cleared.

The list of barangays is divided into two batches, each with 35 barangays. The first batch was originally 38 but the three are eyed to be re-endorsed due to the presence of high-value drug personalities. The remaining 35 are undergoing on-site validation.

Meanwhile, 35 more barangays are to be scheduled for on-site validation. In a forum, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said that the Oversight Committee can convene twice in May to deliberate whether or not the barangays are qualified to be declared drug-cleared.

If all 70 will pass the validation and deliberation, this will give Cebu Province 230 drug-cleared barangays which is more than the 213 target. —/BRP (FREEMAN)