2.7% of Metro Manila barangays drug-free, government says

MANILA, Philippines - Nearly a year after President Duterte launched his bloody war against illegal drugs, 47 of Metro Manila’s barangays have been “cleared” of illegal drugs, statistics presented by the government show.

This figure represents 2.5 percent of the 1,706 barangays of the National Capital Region (NCR).

The National Capital Region retained the top spot as the most drug-affected region, with an estimated 97.3 percent of its barangays drug affected as of May 30.

Data from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Department of Interior and local Government (DILG) showed that Quezon City has the most number of drug-cleared barangays at 11, while Las Piñas came in second with nine barangays. 

The NCR only accounts for a little over one percent of the 3,677 barangays in the country that have been “cleared” of illegal drugs. 

The government reported that 3,151 drug suspects were killed in police operations from the start of the drug war until June 13. No figures were available for Metro Manila.

During the Rehabinasyon forum in Quezon City last week, DILG director Leo Travila claimed that the government has cleared about 8.7 percent of the more than 42,000 barangays nationwide of illegal drugs in the country as of May 30.

The government reported that 20,104 barangays or 47.83 percent are plagued by illegal drugs.

It is on track to meeting its goal of clearing 5,277 barangays before year-end, Travila added. 

This comes as an estimated 90 percent of the total number of barangays in the country activated its Anti-Drug Abuse Council, one of the cornerstones in the campaign against illegal drugs. 

The 14 parameters for a drug-cleared barangay are set by the Dangerous Drugs Board and this includes non-availability of drug supply, absence of drug transit activity, absence of drug laboratory, warehouse and cultivation sites.

Before a barangay is given a drug-cleared status, drug pushers and users should also be accounted for, there are no coddlers in the area, as well as the active involvement of the barangay in providing drug treatment and preventive education initiatives. 

The Cordillera Administrative Region had the most number of drug-cleared barangays, pegged at 743. 

It was followed by Region 4A with 739 drug-cleared barangays and Region 12 a far third with 597.

Region 13 had the least number of cleared barangays, with only nine, all situated in Surigao del Norte.