Negros Occidental’s New Liga President Sets Goal for Drug-Free Villages

Negros Occidental, Philippines – Richard Julius Sablan, the newly-elected president of the Provincial Liga ng mga Barangay in Negros Occidental, has pledged to intensify efforts towards achieving drug-free status for the province’s barangays (villages).

According to Philippines News Agency, who was elected unopposed during the recent election at the Seda Hotel, his focus will be on continuing the community-based rehabilitation program (CBRP) initiated by his predecessor, Juvy Pepello. This program is part of a broader plan aimed at making Negros Occidental free from the influence of illegal drugs. Sablan highlighted that while more than 400 of the 601 villages in the province have already attained a drug-cleared status, there are still cities and municipalities with barangays in the process of achieving this goal.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, who presided over the oath-taking ceremony of the new Provincial Liga officers, emphasized that one of the key advocacies at the barangay level is the eradication of substance abuse through the CBRP. Lacson’s administration has been actively supporting initiatives to combat drug-related issues in local communities.

As the Liga president, Sablan will also serve as an ex-officio member of the Provincial Board, representing the barangays. The election also saw the appointment of other officers, including Annabelle Bermudo of La Carlota City as vice president, Jerome Agustin of Cauayan as auditor, and board of directors members Henry Alcorin (Don Salvador Benedicto), Marlon Malacon (E.B. Magalona), Elir Borres (Sipalay City), Ronnie Salo (Manapla), Freddie Mongcal (Hinigaran), Rico Regalia (Kabankalan City), Alfred Martin Cui (San Carlos City), and Paul Leonard de Oca (Talisay City).