Ben Madilynn
A TOTAL of 1,968 barangays across Central Visayas, including those in Negros Oriental and Siquijor, have now been declared drug-cleared by the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing.
This follows the declaration of another 26 barangays as drug-cleared on Thursday, May 22, 2025.
Leia Alcantara, information officer of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7, said the majority of the 26 newly drug-cleared barangays are located in Cebu Province including the following: Poblacion Looc, Dumanjug; Bato, Badian; Masaba, Danao City; Mangyan, Sibonga; Poblacion 1, Carcar City; Macaas, Catmon; Pugtod and Lagunde, Oslob; Hingatmonan and Biasong, Balamban; San Rafael, Barili; Kalangahan, Tuburan; and Tinaan, City of Naga.
Bohol followed with six drug-cleared barangays: Bilangbilangan in Tubigon; Montesuerte, Montisunting and Matin-ao in Carmen; and Bulilis and Humayhumay in Ubay.
Five barangays in Cebu City were also declared drug-cleared: Bonbon, Bulacao, Pardo, Pahina San Nicolas and T. Padilla. Additionally, two barangays in Mandaue City, Cabancalan and Maguikay, received the same declaration.
Alcantara said achieving drug-cleared status for a barangay, especially in highly urbanized cities like Cebu City, is challenging if the requirements are not met.
Every drug personality on the validated watchlist of PDEA 7 and the PNP, including drug pushers and users, must undergo house visitation and must be encouraged to participate in a community-based drug rehabilitation program.
This process helps determine if individuals on the PDEA and Philippine National Police lists are still involved in illegal activities.
If a drug personality is no longer residing in the barangay, documentation proving their absence is required. Without proper accounting, a barangay cannot be declared drug-cleared.
Alcantara said 70 percent of the 3,003 barangays in the entire region have now been declared drug-cleared.
Only 30 percent remain drug affected which PDEA aims to resolve in the coming years. / AYB
Source: Nearly 2K barangays in CV ‘drug-cleared’
