PDEA-Iloilo aims to clear remaining 1.6% of drug-affected barangays

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Iloilo is looking forward to clearing the remaining 1.62 percent of the province’s drug-affected barangays.

But it might not happen in the next deliberation of the Regional Oversight Committee (ROC) on Barangay Drug Clearing Program (BDCP) on Nov 29, 2022.

Johnny Boy Ybañez, PDEA-Iloilo provincial officer, said that around six of the 28 drug-affected barangays have submitted documents for the next BDCP validation scheduled next week.

The most recent ROC deliberation was conducted on October 27, 2022 wherein only two Iloilo barangays passed.

Of the 1,721 barangays in Iloilo province – 944 drug affected and 776 unaffected barangays – 1,693 barangays or 98.373 percent have been cleared.

Ybañez explained that the failure of Tokhang surrenders to finish their community-based drug rehabilitation program (CBDRP) hinders the barangay to apply for a drug-cleared status.

Most of the 28 barangays that are yet to be cleared are in Oton.

Ybañez said that Oton still has around 11 barangays that are considered drug-affected.

For a barangay to be finally declared as “drug-cleared” or officially “unaffected,” it must comply with all the requirements and parameters set forth under DDB Regulation No. 3, Series of 2017 on Strengthening the Implementation of BDCP.

These requirements include:

1. Non-availability of drug supply
2. Absence of drug den, pusher, user
3. Absence of clandestine drug laboratory
4. Active involvement of barangay officials in anti-drug activities
5. Existence of drug awareness, preventive education and information
6. Existence of voluntary and compulsory drug treatment and rehabilitation processing desk

These requirements are mandated under Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation No. 3 series of 2017.