While Negros Occidental has achieved significant progress in clearing barangays of illegal drugs, with 83.19% now drug-free and 13 towns/cities fully cleared, Bacolod City continues to face challenges.
During a joint Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council and Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting, PDEA Negros Occidental Provincial Director David Maramba revealed that the Bacolod has the lowest percentage of drug-cleared barangays in Western Visayas which stand at only 34.43%.
In a separate statement, Bacolod City Police Office director, Colonel Joeresty Coronica, said hat they are investigating reports of a barangay official protecting drug users.
Coronica disclosed that the official is “not cooperating” with the anti-drug campaign by failing to assist in identifying drug users within their jurisdiction.
Region-wide, 93.48% of barangays in Western Visayas have been cleared. Aklan, Guimaras, and Antique have achieved 100% drug-cleared status, while Iloilo province reports 99.59%, followed by Capiz at 93.45%. Among highly urbanized cities, Iloilo City has 52.78% drug-cleared barangays.
In Negros Occidental, 83.19 percent of barangays have been declared drug-cleared, with 500 out of 601 barangays achieving this status. Maramba also highlighted that 13 out of the province’s 31 cities and municipalities are now 100 percent drug-cleared. These include Bago City, Candoni, EB Magalona, Isabela, La Castellana, Manapla, Moises Padilla, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, Silay City, Sipalay City, Valladolid, and Victorias City.
