The drug cleared barangays in Negros Occidental have increased to 408 or 68.89 percent of its 601 barangays, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency reported Friday, June 2.
Jeanette Reyes, PDEA Negros Occidental provincial officer, in her report during the 2nd quarter Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council meeting at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City said most of the remaining barangays for clearing are moderately drug affected.
She also reported that 100 percent of the barangays in one city and three towns in Negros Occidental have been declared drug cleared.
They are Candoni with 9 barangays, Pulupandan – 20, Moises Padilla – 15 and Sipalay City – 17, she said.
“Although the number of drug cleared barangays in Negros Occidental increase by about 2 percent… we are encouraging the barangay officials to really make an effort to clear their areas from drugs,” Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, who presided at the PDAC meeting, said.
There are also 22 applicant barangays in Negros Occidental for declaration as drug cleared, Reyes said.
They are Lag-asan in Bago City, Paglaum in Binalbagan, 1 Poblacion and Consing in EB Magalona, Linaon in Cauayan, Nanuga in Hinigaran, Langob and Janob-janob in Escalante City, Tooy in Himamaylan City, Bacuyangan in Hinoba-an, Libas and Tinongan in Isabela, Purisima in Manapla, Santa Rosa in Murcia, 1 in Silay City, Concepcion in Talisay City, Poblacion and San Jose in Toboso, Tabao Proper in Valladolid, and 7, 20 and 21 in Victorias City.
Western Visayas is 90.25 percent cleared of drugs, Reyes said.
The PDEA report showed that of the six provinces and two highly urbanized cities in Western Visayas Negros Occidental was in sixth place and Bacolod City in eight place in number of drug cleared barangays.
The following is the PDEA drug cleared barangays performance report:
*Aklan – 100 percent;
*Antique – 99.66 percent;
*Iloilo province – 98.55 percent;
*Guimaras – 100 percent,
*Capiz – 91.12 percent,
*Negros Occidental – 67.89 percent;
*Iloilo City – 54.22 percent; and
*Bacolod City – 22.96 percent.
Meanwhile, Lacson said the PDAC has recommended the Negros Occidental Drug Rehabilitation Foundation as the province’s special drug education center.*