BACOLOD CITY — The Municipality of Pulupandan in Negros Occidental is the first local government unit to be declared drug-cleared in the entire Negros Island.
“Yes, all 20 barangays in Pulupandan were declared drug-cleared,” said Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Western Visayas regional director Wardley Getalia in a text message Wednesday night.
The PDEA confirmation came after the municipal government released copies of the certifications showing that each village of the southern Negros town has complied with the parameters on drug-cleared barangays provided in Section 8 of the Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation No. 3, Series of 2017, otherwise known as “Strengthening the Implementation of the Barangay Drug-Clearing Program”.
The 20 villages include Barangays Zone 1-A, Zone 4-A, Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Canjusa, Crossing Pulupandan, Culo, Mabini, Pag-ayon, Palaka Norte, Palaka Sur, Patic, Tapong, Ubay and Utod.
The certifications, issued by the Region 6 (Western Visayas) Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Operation, were officially released by the PDEA Region 6 to the municipal government and to the Pulupandan Municipal Police Station on June 14.
The first five villages — Ubay, Tapong, Culo, Palaka Sur and Pag-ayon — were declared drug-cleared on June 13, 2017 while the remaining 15, on January 30, 2018.
Each barangay underwent a revalidation process, which started three months from the date of declaration, after which , all 20 barangays were confirmed drug-cleared.
Peña said in a statement that he is glad that the municipality’s efforts to curb the proliferation of illegal drugs, with the help of the police and in coordination with PDEA, have paid off.
A barangay is declared drug-cleared based on the following parameters: non-availability of drug supply; absence of drug transit/transhipment activity; absence of clandestine drug laboratory; absence of clandestine drug warehouse; absence of clandestine chemical warehouse; absence of marijuana cultivation site; absence of drug den, dive, or resort; absence of drug pusher; absence of drug user/dependent; and absence of protector/coddler and financier; active involvement of barangay officials in anti-drug activities; active involvement of Sangguniang Kabataan to help maintain drug-liberated status of the barangay; existence of drug awareness, preventive education and information and other related programs; and existence of voluntary and compulsory drug treatment and rehabilitation processing desk. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
