San Vicente and 23 barangays from other towns in Palawan were recently declared drug-cleared by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) during the “Validation/Revalidation and Declaration of Drug-Cleared Barangays and Municipalities” under the initiative of its Regional Oversight Committee (ROC) on Barangay Drug Clearing Operations.
San Vicente town joins 12 others that have already been classified drug-cleared, namely; Agutaya, Araceli, Busuanga, Cagayancillo, Cuyo, Dumaran, Sofronio Espanola, Kalayaan, Linapacan, Magsaysay, Roxas, and Quezon.
Among the barangays which were declared as drug-cleared are Culasian, Latud, Panalingaan, Poblacion-Araceli, Magbabadil, Cabigaan, San Juan, Poblacion, 1,4,5,6 -Balabac, Tabud, Buliluyan, Malitub, Buenavista, Bintuan, Manlag, Sibaltan, Port Barton, Abongan, Alacalian, Bato, Cataban and New Guinlo.
The PDEA oversight committee is composed of the Department of Health (DOH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Philippine National Police (PNP)
Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council focal person Florfe Anne Fernandez said the challenge of Palawan Governor Alvarez to the municipalities is to help Palawan be a drug-free province.
“Ngayon sa current status natin, ang natitira ay 87 barangays may nabawas na na 23 na na-clear ngayon kaya nasa 60 plus nalang,” she said.
