According to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Negros Island Region (PDEA-NIR) Director, Atty. Roselyn Borja, 65 barangays are currently undergoing validation for drug-free certification.
154 barangays in total are subject for drug clearing.
Borja pointed out, NIR has a total 1,219 barangays, of which 1,107 are affected, while 112 are unaffected.
Based on the new parameters, NIR has 90.81 percent drug affectation and if the pending 154 barangays are cleared, it will be reduced to 78 percent, she projected.
“The new issuance of the DDB (Dangerous Drugs Board), regulation series of 2017, once the PNP (Philippine National Police) has declared a barangay clean of illegal drugs, that has to be attested by the city or municipal anti-drug abuse council, which then has to be validated by PDEA,” Borja explained.
“It is only after validation that the oversight committee will assess and evaluate again if that barangay will be declared as drug cleared,” she added./WDJ