THE REGIONAL Oversight Committee (ROC) on Dangerous Drugs in Western Visayas has declared 64 villages from Panay and Guimaras as drug-cleared, bringing to 3,162 the total drug-cleared barangays in the region as of Tuesday.
In a phone interview, Shey Tanaleon, acting spokesperson for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Western Visayas, said the ROC has deliberated on the application of 137 barangays and 64 hurdled the rigid screening of the committee.
ROC is composed of the PDEA as chair, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) as co-chair, and the Department of Health (DOH) and Philippine National Police (PNP) as members.
“Sixty four successfully passed the parameters of the drug clearing program,” she said on Wednesday.
These barangays, she said, have no drug supply; no transit, drug laboratory or warehouse; no marijuana cultivation, and active implementation of the anti-drug law by their officials.
As of date, around 80 percent or 3,162 out of the 4,051 are drug-cleared, she added.
To sustain the gains against illegal drugs, Tanaleon said efforts have been tightened such that the concerned office of primary responsibility (OPR) has to implement support activities, including sports, religious and social activities; livelihood projects; and re-integration and counseling activities for families of drug personalities.
The OPR included local government units and barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials with the support of local church groups, local PNP, social welfare office, health office, and the Department of Education (DepEd).
She added that so far, the ROC has not convened for the revocation of the drug-cleared title of the barangay because they were able to act within the 30-day period that was given to them.
Tanaleon said the barangay drug-clearing program is dynamic and it does not end when a barangay is declared as drug-cleared.
“Our barangay drug-clearing in the whole of Region 6 is implemented in full force, our BADAC (barangay anti-drug abuse council) is fully activated,” she said.
Tanaleon said the remaining barangays that are yet to be cleared are strictly monitored due to reported presence of drug personalities.
Hence, they are closely working with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to pounce on the personalities and eventually declare them as drug-cleared.
Meanwhile, as part of the drug-clearing program, two Balay Silangan Reformation Centers will be inaugurated in Aklan’s Lezo and Madalag towns on Thursday, bringing to 15 the total operational centers in the region.
Most of the centers are in Iloilo, particularly in Passi City, Bingawan, Dingle, Concepcion, Guimbal, Igbaras, Miagao, New Lucena, and Tubungan.
Reformation centers that are operational in municipalities and are yet to be declared as drug-cleared are in Tapaz, Capiz; Hamtic, Antique; and Barotac Viejo and Pavia in Iloilo.
The centers cater to drug pusher-surrenderers. (By Perla Lena)
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