24 more barangays cleared from illegal drugs

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-6 has cleared 24 more barangays from the influence of illegal drugs here and in Negros Occidental before the end of the year.

According to PDEA-Negros Occidental head Jyx Escrupolo, 23 villages in the province and only Barangay 41 here were declared drug-cleared during their deliberation held at the Negros First Residences yesterday.

The drug-cleared barangays in the province were Taloc, Calumangan, Jorge Araneta in Bago City; Bagroy, San Pedro, Santol, and Biao in Binalbagan town; Minapasok, Hinub-ang, Tigbon, Repoyho, and Cruz in Calatrava town; Tanza in E.B. Magalona town; Cervantes in Escalante City; Canroma in Pontevedra town; Camang-Camang in Isabela town; Libacao and Mahalang in Himamaylan City; Sta.Cruz in Murcia town; 6 in Silay City; Salamanca in Toboso town; Tortosa in Manapla town; and Poblacoion east, and Poblacion west in Candoni town.

Escrupolo said out of 61 barangays here, only 14 have been declared drug-cleared, while a total of 373 villages in the province were already drug-free, since the start of the barangay drug-clearing program.

She said that drug-cleared barangays this year are lesser than last year because of some limitations to holding the community-based drug rehabilitation program (CBDRP). However, she has yet to provide the figure.

Despite this, she said that the CBDRP was not being neglected, as those involved in the said program find ways to be able to implement it.

“Hindi naman napabayaan. Nagkataon lang na very crucial ang coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) so may limitations lang na na encounter, and conflict of schedules,” she said.