• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) expects an increase in the number of drug-cleared villages in Negros Occidental as 30 more barangays have applied to be declared as drug-cleared areas.
Of the 601 barangays in 31 towns and component cities of Negros Occidental, 101 are still affected by illegal drugs, according to PDEA.
PDEA-Negros Occidental provincial director David Mark Maramba said the 500 barangays, which is equivalent to 83.19 percent of the 601 barangays in Negros Occidental, are drug-cleared.
He further reported that only 34.43 percent of the 61 barangays in the highly-urbanized Bacolod City are drug-cleared.
Of the provinces in Western Visayas, only Aklan, Guimaras and Antique have been categorized by PDEA as drug-cleared provinces.
Iloilo has 99.59 percent drug-cleared barangays; Capiz, 93.5 percent; Negros Occidental, 83.19 percent; and Iloilo City, 52.78 percent.
Maramba presented the report during the joint Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council and Peace and Order Council meeting at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City on Tuesday. | GB
