Another one hundred eight (108) barangays and five municipalities in Caraga Region (Region XIII) werte declared drug-cleared by the Barangay Drug Clearing Program Regional Oversight Committee of Caraga Region (BDCP ROC-Caraga) after complying with the requirements prescribed under Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation No. 3, Series of 2017.
The municipalities of Veruela, Sta. Josefa, Loreto and Rosario from the Province of Agusan del Sur, as well as the municipality of Dinagat Island, were declared drug-cleared after all their respective barangays had been given “drug-cleared” status during the 9th BDCP- ROC meeting on September 7, 2018 held at the PDEA Regional Office 13 Building in Provincial Hospital Compound, Barangay Libertad, Butuan City.
With the latest development, seven hundred ninety-one (791) barangays out of the one thousand three hundred eleven (1,311), or 60 percent of the total number of barangays in Caraga region, are now enjoying a drug-cleared status.
“Even if they are drug-cleared, these municipalities and barangays will still be strictly monitored by all stakeholders of the Barangay Drug-Clearing Program, especially by their respective Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) in order to sustain their drug-cleared status,” PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said.
“They will also undergo quarterly validation as provided for under Paragraph 3, Section 10 of DDB Regulation No. 3, Series of 2017,” Aquino added.
The BDCP-ROC Caraga is also authorized to revoke all drug-cleared certification through official notice in case that a barangay fails to maintain of the requirement for a drug-cleared barangay.
During the 9th BDCP ROC meeting, eigth (8) of the ten (10) members of the committee were present which constituted a quorum and was presided by Investigation Agent V (IAV) Irvin John Coderis, Acting Regional Director, who represented PDEA RO XIII Regional Director Aileen Lovitos.
The other members of the committee who were present were Ray Gregory Jaranilla, Department of Interior and Local Government Region 13 (DILG 13 PRO 13), Police Chief Inspector Marife Farol of the Philippine National Police Office 13 (PNP), Dr. Ernesto Pareja, Department of Health (DOH), Atty. Ramie Duropan (Province of Agusan del Norte), Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Gilbert Elorde (Province of Agusan del Sur), SP member Jesspaul Ecleo (Province of Dinagat Island) and Sangguniang Bayan member Cherry May Busa of the (LGU-Butuan City.