4 Catanduanes towns, 3 barangays declared drug-cleared

VIRAC, Catanduanes (PIA)- The towns of Pandan, Viga, Bagamanoc and Panganiban have been declared drug-cleared by the Regional Oversight Committee (ROC) of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

The hybrid deliberation was simultaneously held at the Camarines Sur Provincial Capitol and Pandan, Catanduanes serving as a proxy site on July 27, 2023. The ROC is a four-agency committee chaired by the Regional Director of PDEA Bicol with DILG, PNP, and DOH as members.

Based on the Omnibus Procedure in Barangay Drug Clearing Program, the four municipalities’ Municipal Anti-Drug Abuse Council led by their respective local chief executive underwent extensive deliberation before they were declared as drug-cleared municipalities.

Five municipalities are yet to be declared as drug-cleared since San Miguel town was already declared as drug-cleared and eventually the entire province of Catanduanes will be declared as the first drug-cleared province in Bicol.

Meanwhile, ROC BDCP Deliberation on July 19, 2023 at the PDEA Regional Office V, Camp Simeon Ola, Legazpi City with its remote site at the Provincial Office of PDEA Catanduanes via Zoom scrutinized the documentary requirements and the hands-on knowledge of the Brgy. chairmen of 3 barangays of Virac, Catanduanes (Calatagan Tibang, Gogon Sirangan, and Rawis) in the implementation of the BDCP in their respective barangays.

The said deliberation scrutinized the documentary requirements and the hands-on knowledge of the Brgy Chairmen of 3 barangays of Virac, Catanduanes (Calatagan Tibang, Gogon Sirangan, and Rawis) in the implementation of the BDCP in their respective barangays.

The 3 candidate barangays hurdled the battery of questions, examination of documents, and were declared Drug-Cleared by the quad-member ROC composed of PDEA, DILG, PNP and DOH. The recent declaration brings the total drug affected barangays cleared to 232 out of 239 drug-affected or 97% already cleared. (EAB-PIA5/Catanduanes)