ILOILO City – Forty-six of this city’s 180 barangays have yet to achieve drug-cleared status despite nearly a decade of anti-illegal drug operations, underscoring the continuing challenge facing authorities in their campaign to rid communities of drug-related activities.
The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) reported that 134 barangays, or 74.4 percent of the city’s total, have been declared drug-cleared since the campaign began in 2017, leaving 25.6 percent still awaiting the designation.
Under Mayor Raisa Treñas’ administration, 39 barangays have attained drug-cleared status, including 17 in 2025 and 22 this year.
The city government is pushing to have all 180 barangays declared drug-cleared, although police authorities cautioned that such a designation does not necessarily mean illegal drugs have been completely eliminated.
“Drug-cleared does not necessarily mean that there are no more illegal drugs in the barangay,” ICPO director Police Colonel Wilbert Parilla clarified.
He explained that barangays qualify for the designation once all identified drug personalities have been accounted for through arrests, rehabilitation or other appropriate interventions.
The classification, therefore, reflects compliance with established anti-drug requirements rather than a guarantee that illegal drug activities no longer exist.
Treñas credited barangay officials, police personnel and the Iloilo City Health Office (ICHO) for the progress in the city’s anti-drug campaign.
“This record shows that our barangay officials are really working and fulfilling their responsibilities for the betterment of their communities,” Treñas said.
The 22 barangays newly declared drug-cleared this year include Dulunan and Santo Domingo in Arevalo; Concepcion Montes, Tanza Baybay, General Hughes and Muelle Loney in City Proper; and Taytay Zone II, Balantang, Calubihan, Dungon B, Fajardo, San Vicente, Tagbac and Ungka in Jaro.
Also included are Magsaysay Village, San Nicolas and Lopez Jaena in La Paz; Compania Central, East Timawa and Kasing-Kasing in Molo; and Navais and Tabucan in Mandurriao.
Meanwhile, 29 barangays maintained their drug-cleared status in 2026, while nine others were classified as drug-free or unaffected.
The nine are Edganzon, Kauswagan, Osmeña, Roxas Village, San Jose and Sampaquita in City Proper, and Libertad Santa Isabel, Luna and San Jose in Jaro.
Parilla stressed that sustained vigilance and active barangay participation remain crucial to preventing the resurgence of illegal drug activities.
He urged barangay officials to continue identifying drug personalities, facilitating appropriate interventions and coordinating closely with police and health authorities./PN
