By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of Bacolod is encouraging all 61 barangays of the city to follow the operational guidelines of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) on how to be certified as a “drug free” barangay.
Councilor Ricardo Tan said, under DDB regulation No. 3, a barangay may only be declared as “drug-free” if the supply of illegal drugs has been cut, and there is an absence of drug dens, pushers, and users.
Also included as requirements are the absence of any clandestine drug laboratories; active involvement of barangay officials in anti-drug activities; existence of drug awareness, preventive education and information; and existence of voluntary and compulsory drug treatment and rehabilitation processing desk.
Tan, who chairs on the committee on police, security, jail management and illegal drugs, also said it is the responsibility of barangay officials to adopt measures for the prevention and eradication of drug abuse within their areas, and to allot budgets for these as well as enact ordinances intended to prevent, suppress, and impose penalties for drug addiction, maintenance of drug dens and drug pushing.
In a press release issued by the city’s Public Information Office (PIO), the Bacolod City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) has also reminded the respective Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADACs) of the 61 Bacolod barangays to help fund the anti-drug efforts as mandated by the law./WDJ