Baguio City – A total of 11 local government units (LGUs), and two civil society organizations (CSOs) in Cordillera region received recognition during the 2020 Anti-Drug Abuse Council (ADAC) special awards program for their exemplary efforts on their role in complementing the national government’s anti-illegal drug programs amidst the pandemic, and for their relentless effort in eradicating drug menace with drug prevention programs over the years.
Of the 11 LGUs, the municipalities of Buguias, Kibungan, and La Trinidad in Benguet; the municipalities of Pudtol, Luna, Conner, and Sta. Marcela in Apayao; and municipalities of Pilar, Tineg, Lacub, and San Juan in Abra were recognized for having achieved 100 percent performance of their respective local anti-drug abuse councils.
Consequently, two CSOs namely Council for the Restoration of Filipino Values, and Shalom Kalinga were awarded for working relentlessly on their anti-illegal drug programs amid pandemic.
“The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) believe in the effectiveness of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program as a whole-of-nation approach in addressing the drug problem in the country to maintain the momentum of our fight against illegal drugs amidst pandemic, and the recognition of efforts of our LGUs, and CSOs,” said Araceli San Jose, Assistant Regional Director of DILG-CAR.
ARD San Jose explained that the Department, in partnership with PDEA, decided to give special awards to cities and municipalities that have sustained the drug-cleared status of their drug-affected barangays as well as those that have sustained the drug-free status of their unaffected.
The performance award was established last year through a Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2018-01 issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB).
DILG and DDB set the performance indicators of a functional ADAC as a measurement for effectiveness in support of the reduction of drug affectation in the country.
The DILG also issued a subsequent Memorandum Circular No. 2019-117 that established the ADAC performance audit that would gather data on ADAC functionality and effectiveness and determine the highly functional ADACs.
(RIU/DILG-CAR, photo courtesy by Joe Manzano, RPN DZBS Baguio OIC)