The sustained implementation of the Philippine Anti-Drugs Strategy (PADS) focusing on enforcement, justice, rehabilitation and reintegration, and advocacy have been credited with the largely improved response against the illegal drug problem, according to the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD).
In its year-end report for 2019 released on December 13, ICAD announced that 15,894 barangays nationwide have been declared as drug-cleared, alongside the 27,918 anti-drug operations conducted within the year that resulted in the arrest of 41,947 drug personalities.
Out of the drug personalities arrested, 2,422 are considered high-value targets, while 976 of the operations have been classified as high-impact in nature.
The committee cited that the coordinated efforts of its 45 member-agencies, adherence to the PADS and implementation of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program (BDCP) are responsible for the stronger law enforcement activities on illegal drug proliferation and use.
Apart from conducting anti-illegal drug operations, ICAD has also enhanced its efforts of rehabilitation and advocacy including drug-free workplaces in government and private offices, strengthening partnerships with local governments for monitoring Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (ADACs), and establishing more rehabilitation, reintegration, and reformation facilities and programs in all regions.
Highlighting the continued fight against illegal drugs are hallmark initiatives, such as the launch of the 'Rehabinasyon' campaign advocating for a holistic approach through providing information on drug-related statistics, medical treatment of drug dependents, and reintegration through livelihood and employment programs.
Another initiative that was launched is the Anti-Illegal Drugs Information System (AIDIS), which is a web-based centralized information system that consolidates data from agencies involved in tackling the illegal drug problem to formulate better strategies as well as generate statistics that can be provided to the public.
Lastly, the 'Yakap Bayan' intervention framework of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), together with the 'Balay Silangan' reformation program and the 'Project Sagip Batang Solvent' youth reformation facility of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) comprise the initiatives launched for rehabilitating drug users.
ICAD was created on March 6, 2017, under Executive Order 15 to suppress the drug problem in the country, which was initially composed of 18 agencies and departments with PDEA being designated as its chairperson.
Source: PNA
