ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Regional Oversight Committee (ROC) on Barangay Drug Clearing Program in Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) has declared 49 barangays as drug-cleared villages.
The oversight committee is Emerson Margate, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional head.
In a statement Saturday, Margate said the declaration came after deliberations found that the barangays have satisfactorily complied and satisfied the parameters in declaring a drug-cleared barangay pursuant to Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) regulations.
Margate said 25 of the 49 barangays declared drug-cleared are in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay: Alicia, two; Buug, one; Kabasalan, one; Olutanga, five; Payao, six; Siay, two; Talusan, four; and Tungawan, four.
In Zamboanga del Sur, 15 villages were declared drug-cleared: Aurora, five; Mahayag, one; Dimataling, two; Dumalinao, three; Guipos, one; and, San Pablo, three.
Nine barangays in Zamboanga del Norte were also declared drug-cleared: Sibutad, three; and Salug, six.
The PDEA-9 director said to date, there are a total of 878 drug-cleared barangays in the region, 118 of which are from Zamboanga Sibugay, 373 from Zamboanga del Sur, 367 from Zamboanga del Norte, nine from Isabela City, Basilan, and 11 from the city.
He said 99 barangays in the region were certified as "unaffected," with six barangays from Zamboanga Sibugay, 53 from Zamboanga del Sur, 39 from Zamboanga del Norte, and one from the city.
Margate said the Barangay Drug Clearing Program will continue in the region even amid the coronavirus disease pandemic. (PNA)
