The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Regional Oversight Committee on Drug Clearing Program is scheduled to meet and assess eight barangays for drug-cleared status, three of which were cleared last year.

Barangays Kauswagan, Osmeña, Ed Ganzon, and San Jose in the City Proper district; and Barangay Banuyao in La Paz district all submitted applications for consideration. Meanwhile, Barangays Luna and Santa Isabel in the Jaro district, along with Barangay Sampaguita in the City Proper district, are up for a reassessment.

According to Iloilo City Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) head, Atty. Ferdinand Panes, local police reported “new sightings,” which prompted the need for reassessments.

Last December, the three drug-cleared neighborhoods were each awarded a P10,000 incentive from the city government.

Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III encouraged each barangay to maintain their drug-cleared status./PLL, WDJ