All Pilar brgys to get drug-cleared status

CEBU, Philippines — All 13 barangays of Pilar town on Camotes Islands will be declared drug-cleared by the  Oversight Committee on Thursday, said Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office chief Carmen Ivy Remedios Durano-Meca.

It will be the second local government unit in the province of Cebu to have all barangays free from illegal drugs.

The first LGU to be declared drug-cleared by the committee composed of the Department of Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Health, and CPADAO was Bogo City. The declaration was done in July 2017.

The barangays of Pilar that will receive a drug-cleared certificate from the Oversight Committee are Biasong, Cawit, Dapdap, Esperanza, Imelda, Lanao, Lower Poblacion, Moabog, Montserrat, San Isidro, San Juan, Upper Poblacion, and Villahermosa.

Aside from these barangays, 12 other barangays will also be recognized on Thursday. These include one in Naga City, three in Danao City, seven in San Remigio, and San Francisco.

There were only 18 barangays out of 35 endorsed were initially approved by the committee during the deliberation last week. However, the seven others that initially flunked in the DOH screening were eventually given a passing rate after the members of the committee conducted an onsite inspection.

Starting Thursday, 185 of the 1,066 barangays across Cebu Province will have a drug-free status.

Meca emphasized that there is a difference between drug-cleared and drug-free. The latter means that a place has never been affected by illegal drugs.

Meanwhile, drug-clearing would mean that the place has recorded surrenderers, high profile drug personalities, or identified drug peddlers.

Clearing, Meca said, would mean addressing the recorded problems and helping those who stray get back on track. Drug clearing, she explained, would mean that there are no more identified illegal drug sellers while the users have been enrolled in rehabilitation programs.

She pointed out that the clearing is a continuous effort and does not stop by the time a barangay is declared drug-cleared. (FREEMAN)