The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has declared two North Bay Boulevard South villages in Navotas drug-cleared.
NBBS Kaunlaran and NBBS Proper, led by Brgy. Captain Federico Natividad, Jr. and Brgy. Captain Elvis Desabille, both received drug-cleared certification on Aug. 28.
NBBS Dagat-dagatan, on the other hand, was cleared of the drug menace in April this year.
In his speech during Monday’s flag ceremony, Mayor Toby Tiangco noted that the division of NBBS into three barangays has made drug-clearing more attainable.
“This goes to show that our decision to divide NBBS was right. It has made management of our barangays, including the intensification of our anti-drug campaign efforts, easier and more effective,” he said.
According to the 2015 census, NBBS was the most populous among the barangays in Navotas, with 70,934 residents or 28 percent of the city’s population.
In terms of size, NBBS was also the second biggest barangay with 254 hectares of land area.
It was Tiangco, during his term as Navotas representative, who pushed for the division of NBBS. His bill became law after President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 10933.
Aside from the three NBBS barangays, other drug-cleared villages included Tanza I, Tanza II, Navotas East, Navotas West, and San Rafael Village.
The mayor, however, warned barangays that they may lose their status once new drug personalities are recorded in their areas.
“We should not rest on our laurels. Our continued vigilance is crucial to sustain our fight against drugs,” he said.