PDEA celebrates 10th year anniversary

AGENTS and personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the Northern Mindanao Region recently took a day off to celebrate the agency’s 10th year anniversary and for being second in terms of accomplishments in anti-drug operations.

PDEA Assistant Secretary Rene M. Obre personally attended the occasion as he congratulated the staff for a job well done.

Obre reminded the PDEA personnel under the leadership of PDEA Regional Director Roberto S. Opeña to keep up the good work and continue to intensify anti-drug operations in the region.

“We may face many challenges along the way. Some of our comrades made the supreme sacrifice, giving their lives in the line of duty. But do not be discourage. Continue to ignite the flame in you to work harder so that the sacrifices of your comrades will not be put to waste,” he said.

Obre assured the guests who attended the celebration that PDEA will continue to perform its mandate to safeguard the nation against the evil of illegal drugs “through effective and efficient drug enforcement and to ensure a healthy and bright future for the Filipino people.”

Part of PDEA’s operational thrusts are the strengthening of operations against shabu tiangges, drug dens and clandestine laboratories; prioritization of court duties; and ensuring conviction and incarceration of drug personalities.

The celebration was centered on the theme “A decade of safeguarding the nation through effective drug enforcement.”

As part of the event, PDEA awarded Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro and other media organizations in the city with certificates of appreciation “in grateful recognition of their generous and valuable support to all their programs, projects and significant activities that has greatly contributed to the success in the implementation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 in the region.”

The agency also awarded plaques of appreciation to local government units, non-government organizations and other sectors of society from the different provinces and cities of Northern Mindanao for their close coordination and collaboration in PDEA’s fight against illegal drugs.

“The continuous fight against the drug problem would not be easy. But if we pool our resources together and form a united front, nothing is impossible,” Obre said.