CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency disclosed that while the provinces of Bataan and Aurora are now considered as drug-free, at least 701 barangays are still affected with illegal drugs.

PDEA regional director Bryan Babang said they had intensified their clearing operations in the remaining drug-affected barangays of Central Luzon, stressing that illegal drugs remain a problem with the existence of drug dens, entry of illegal drugs in ports and discovery of illegal drugs in parcels.

"Our implementation of drug clearing operations is continuous for us to clear these barangays that are still affected with illegal drugs. We are also doing continuous anti-illegal drug operations together with the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other law enforcement units," Babang said.

Data from the agency disclosed that 701 out of the total 3,102 barangays in Central Luzon remain drug-affected as of 12 September.

From the figure, 306 barangays are located in Bulacan, 167 are in Nueva Ecija, 109 are in Pampanga, 56 are in Tarlac, 28 are in Angeles City, 26 are in Zambales and nine are in Olongapo City.

The provinces of Aurora and Bataan already satisfied the requirements to be declared as drug-cleared provinces.

With this, Babang emphasized that they beefed up the implementation of the barangay drug-clearing program to counter the smuggling, production, cultivation and distribution of illegal drugs.

"We are seeing the good results of our barangay drug-clearing operations because the number of drug-affected barangays lowered… Basically, we are able to address the number of our listed drug personalities," Babang said.

PDEA operating units have conducted a total of 6,128 anti-drug operations in the region, leading to the arrest of 243 drug personalities from 1 January to 12 September this year.

The agency also seized a total of 73,138 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu with an estimated street value of P497,338,423; 49,086 kilograms of marijuana with an estimated price of P5,890,417; 3,034 pieces of ecstasy amounting to P4,551,000; 1,358 grams of kush worth P2,037,000; and 0.118 grams of cocaine valued at P685 during the same period.