By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Nineteen barangays in Negros Occidental have passed the Barangay Drug Clearing Program.

These barangays that hurdled the screening were from Bago City – 1, Cauayan – 3, Ilog – 2, Isabela – 4, Kabankalan City – 1, La Castellana – 1, Pontevedra – 1,Sagay City – 2, Sipalay City – 1, Silay City – 1, Talisay City – 1, and Valladolid-1.

The 19 barangays were among the 59 barangays in Western Visayas which were screened by the members of the Regional Oversight Committee on Dangerous Drugs chaired by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 6 regional director Edgar Apalla on November 5.

Representatives from different barangays assisted by their local government units presented and defended their applications and folders in compliance with the parameters of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program mandated by DDB Reg. 3 series of 2017, with the ROC members conducted actual evaluation of each participant brgy applicants.

PDEA-6 will continue to closely collaborate with the concerned counterparts to increase the number of barangays to be cleared from illegal drugs through proper implementation of DDB Regulation No.3 series of 2017 and the Omnibus Procedures in Declaring a Drug Affected Barangay as Drug Cleared./DGB, WDJ