THREE more barangays in Mandaue City were declared “drug-cleared” by the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing (ROCBDC) this August 2023.

These are barangays Canduman, Casuntingan and Cambaro.

Lawyer Ebenezer Manzano, chief of the Mandaue City Substance Abuse Prevention Office (MCSAPO) and action officer of the Mandaue City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (MCADAC), told Sunstar Cebu last Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, that the ROCBDC announced the updated list last Aug. 11.

The addition of the three barangays brought to 13 the number of villages in Mandaue City that have been declared cleared from illegal drugs. Mandaue City has 27 villages.

Previously declared drugcleared barangays were Bakilid, Tawason, Subangdaku, Tingub, Paknaan, Casili, Opao, Tabok, Basak and Mantuyong.

Drug-cleared barangays refer to those which were previously infested by illegal drug activities, but were cleared through anti-illegal drug raids, among other interventions by the authorities.

The ROCBDC is composed of members from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police, and the Department of Health.

Moreover, Manzano said the barangay’s warrior associations would receive P500,000, like the previously declared drug-cleared barangays, as start-up capital for their businesses.

He said drug-cleared barangays will also receive P150,000 yearly as their Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Badac) assistance from the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council if they could maintain their “drug-cleared” status.

Manzano said the Badac assistance should be used solely for substance abuse prevention and rehabilitation programs in the barangay, and not as capital outlay expenditures.

He said the city aims to be declared totally “drug-cleared” by 2024.

City Council Oscar del Castillo, who assumed the position of chairperson on Peace and Order in January, said they would prioritize monitoring the drug warriors (drug surrenderers) with the police authorities to ensure they do not re-engage in illegal drugs.

He said they would encourage drug warriors to participate in sports and organize their sports leagues.

“Para malingaw sila mapadayon nagyud ang ilang pagbiya sa drugs nindot sad nga matag barangay ang mga drug warriors ato silang agnihon nga naay liga sa 27 ka barangays,” said del Castillo.

(For them to have fun and continue to leave illegal drugs, it would also be good for us to encourage the drug warriors in every barangay to organize sports leagues.) /