- MITCH M. LIPA
Sixty-six barangays in the different towns and cities of Negros Occidental want to be declared “drug-cleared” during the Regional Oversight Committee meeting on Sept. 27 in Sipalay City.
Nicholas Gomez, head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the province, said that half of these candidate-barangays have a high chance to be declared as such, based on their initial evaluation.
The remaining half still lacks the basic requirements, like a functional barangay-based rehabilitation program, Gomez added.
Barangay 41 of Bacolod City is also an applicant, he said.
The last ROC meeting was in June, and the one for August was cancelled due to rising COVID cases in Negros Occidental.
Gomez added that 262 of the 601 barangays in the province were already declared drug free.
In Bacolod City, 13 of its 61 barangays were cleared of drugs, he added. — MML
