185 brgy chiefs’ challenge: Maintain drug-free status

The newly-elected officials of the 185 barangays in Cebu are set to undergo a training on how to sustain their villages' status as drugcleared.

The Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CPADAO) said the training is vital to ensure that the change of administration will not affect the anti-drug programs.

The training will commence next month, said CPADAO Chief Carmen Ivy Remedios Durano – Meca.

Meca said more than half of the 185 barangays have new chairmen.

“The priority of the office is the training for the new barangay chairmen,” she said.

The reelected officials, on the other hand, will undergo a refresher course on sustaining the drugcleared status.

Aside from local officials, the people behind the community-based treatment programs for drug surrenderers will also take a separate training.

On the other hand, the anti-drug oversight committee of the province is expected to tackle applications for drugcleared barangays during its June 5 meeting.

Twenty-nine of the applications are for deliberation, while 13 others are for redeliberation.

The 13 barangays— nine from Alegria town, three from Medellin town, and one from San Remigio town— did not pass the previous deliberation for failing to meet the guidelines for the community-based treatment program of the Department of Health.

Some barangays failed because of the continuing prevalence of drugs and drug personalities.

Those scheduled for deliberation are applications from the 18 barangays of Tabogon town, Oslob town (four), San Francisco town (four), Samboan town (two), and one from Naga City.

The results of the onsite validations, which target to determine if there are still drug users and pushers in the area, conducted in the 18 barangays of Borbon town and one village in Sogod town will be presented in the committee meeting.