By Jennifer P. Rendon
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Western Visayas reported that 93.48% of the region’s barangays have been declared drug-cleared following the recent declaration of 11 more barangays as free from illegal drugs.
During the 55th Regional Oversight Committee Deliberation on Barangay Drug Clearing Program (ROCBDC) on September 26, two barangays each from Binalbagan, Calatrava, Isabela, and Kabankalan City, along with one each from Pontevedra, Cadiz City, and San Enrique, were declared drug-cleared. All these barangays are in Negros Occidental.
As a result, 3,787 of the 4,051 barangays in Western Visayas have been cleared, leaving 264 (6.52%) barangays pending for deliberation.
Three provinces—Aklan (327 barangays), Antique (590 barangays), and Guimaras (98 barangays)—continue to maintain 100% drug-cleared status.
Meanwhile, Iloilo province has cleared 99.59% of its barangays, Capiz has cleared 93.45%, and Negros Occidental stands at 83.19%.
Among the region’s two highly urbanized cities, Iloilo City has 52.78% drug-cleared barangays, while Bacolod City has 34.43%.
The ROCBDC team includes representatives from PDEA-6, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region 6, the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6, and the Department of Health (DOH) Western Visayas Center for Health Development.
Aside from the 11 newly cleared barangays, the committee approved the retention of 114 previously declared drug-cleared barangays.
It also verified the status of 52 previously declared drug-free barangays, approved 215 barangays for retention of their drug-free status, and issued two Certificates of Inventory of Drug Personalities (CIDP).
For retention of drug-cleared status, 66 barangays are from Iloilo province, 15 from Aklan, two from Guimaras, 27 from Negros Occidental, and four from Capiz.
Ma. Graziella Tanaleon, PDEA-6 public information officer, said the next deliberation is tentatively scheduled for October.
However, she noted that the Regional Oversight Committee’s schedule may be affected by restrictions related to the upcoming 2025 midterm elections.
