The Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing (ROCBDC-7) declared 76 more barangays in Central Visayas drug-cleared on Friday, bringing the total to 1,744, or more than half of the region’s 3,003 barangays.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Central Visayas (PDEA-7) regional director Emerson Margate led the ROCBDC-7 deliberation.

Of the newly cleared barangays, 36 are in Cebu province, 30 in Negros Oriental, four in Bohol, five in Mandaue City, and one in Cebu City.

Tudela municipality in Camotes Island also gained drug-free status, becoming the ninth in the region.

Data showed there are still 1,143 barangays listed as drug-affected in Central Visayas, while 116 are already drug-free.

Bohol province topped the list for most cleared barangays among highly urbanized cities (HUCs) with 655, or 59 percent of its 1,109 barangays. Cebu province followed with 692, or 65 percent of its 1,066 barangays.

Negros Oriental and Siquijor recorded 43 percent or 238 cleared barangays out of 557, and 107 or 80 percent out of 134 barangays, respectively.

Cebu City has 26 cleared barangays, representing 32 percent of its 80. Mandaue City has 18 out of 27 barangays, or 67 percent, while Lapu-Lapu City has 27 percent, or eight, cleared out of 30 barangays.

Since its inception, the Barangay Drug Clearing Program has cleared nine municipalities and 116 barangays as drug-free.

These municipalities include Poro, San Francisco, Pilar, and Tudela in Camotes Island; Santander, Madridejos and San Remegio in mainland Cebu; Enrique in Siquijor; and Basay in Negros Oriental.

PDEA-7 information officer Leia Alcantara said more barangays are lining up to be declared drug-cleared.