SAN JOSE, Antique – Local authorities of this capital town are optimistic that their municipality would be declared as drug-cleared before the end of 2020.
Mayor Elmer Untaran revealed that the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Operation (ROCBDCO) declared as drug cleared barangays 4 and Badiang.
This raises the number of drug-cleared barangays here to 27 as 25 were cleared last year.
Untaran said only Barangay 8 remains to be declared as drug-cleared.
He said there is one drug personality whom they are now convincing to surrender and undergo the Community Based Rehabilitation Program so that Barangay 8 will be declared drug-cleared.
“The campaign against illegal drugs is my advocacy that is why I am thankful that San Jose will sooner become a drug-cleared community,” he said.
The two barangays declared as drug-cleared, including Barangay 8, are considered moderately affected barangays.
Untaran said the ROCBDCO is composed of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Philippine National Police, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Health that assesses and validates the drug proliferation in the barangays.
The ROCBDCO validated some documentary requirements to look into whether the barangay has a functional Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) and has allocated funds for their anti-drug abuse programs.
Untaran said barangays 4 and Badiang have functional BADAC. (With a report from PNA/PN)
