34 Negros barangays declared drug-free

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has declared 34 barangays in Negros Island Region free from illegal drugs.

The declaration came after a recent deliberation by members of the regional oversight committee on barangay drug clearing at Camp Alfredo M. Montelibano Sr. in this city.

Among those declared drug-free were 27 barangays in Negros Occidental, six in Negros Oriental and one in Bacolod.

For a barangay to be considered drug-free, it must meet the criteria set by the Dangerous Drugs Board.

These include the absence of illegal drugs as well as drug traffickers, users, suppliers, financiers and manufacturers or marijuana cultivators.

A barangay must pass an assessment by the Department of Health, Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police, which are part of the oversight committee on the drug-clearing process.

Cleared of drugs in Negros Occidental were the villages of San Teodoro in Binalbagan;  Zone 6 and Luna in Cadiz City; Malatas and Pinucotan in Calatrava; Poblacion and Tuyom in Cauayan; Bunga in Don Salvador Benedicto;  Magsaysay, Paitan and Udtongan in Escalante; Su-ay in Himamaylan; Barangay 2, Pilar and Tagda in Hinigaran; Asia and Talacagay in Hinoba-an; Barangay 9 in Kabankalan; Zones 3 and 5 in Murcia; Poblacion II and Rizal in Sagay; Prosperidad in San Carlos; Zones 4, 5 and 15 in Talisay, and Poblacion in Toboso.

In Negros Oriental, the PDEA cleared the villages of Amdus in Ayungon, Concepcion in Manjuyod, Calasga-an in Bais, Bio-os in Amlan, Bulibulihan in Mabinay and Bangcal in Jimalalud.

Barangay 4 is the only area in the highly urbanized city of Bacolod that was cleared of drugs. The city has 61 barangays.