The MIMAROPA Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing (ROCBDC) convened last October 27, 2021, in a blended face-to-face and virtual meeting for the deliberation/declaration of drug-cleared barangays and conferment of retention of drug-cleared status in the Province of Palawan.
Out of 367 barangays in Palawan, 62 were still undergoing evaluation to be declared as drug-cleared barangays.
Based on the statistics of the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Program (PADAP) of Palawan, 12 out of 23 municipalities are already declared as a drug-cleared towns. These are the Municipalities of Araceli, Dumaran, Busuanga, Cuyo, Linapacan, Kalayaan, Quezon, Agutaya, Sofronio Espaniola, Roxas, San Vicente, and Magsaysay. The Municipality of Cagayancillo is drug-free.
In an Interview with Senior Admin. Asst. Florfe Anne Fernandez, the focal person of the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Program, said that this initiative is in line with the vision of Palawan Governor Jose Ch. Alvarez for the entire island to be declared as a drug-cleared province in 2022.
“Tayo po ay patuloy ang pagpunta sa mga munisipyo na nangangailangan ng tulong upang mapadali ang kanilang mga requirements at maideklara ng drug cleared. May nakalaan din na tulong pinansyal ngayon ang pamahalaang panlalawigan ng Palawan na nagkakahalaga ng P50,000 pesos bawat munisipyo para sa kanilang mga programa kontra droga.”
Moreover, this November, the regional oversight committee will conduct another evaluation and declaration for the remaining barangays and will focus on the suspected entry points of illegal drugs in Palawan.