THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Cordillera issued guidelines to Cordillera local governments to boost their implementation of the Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (Bida) program to create a lasting impact towards the reduction and proliferation of illegal drugs in communities within the region.
The Bida program implements a two-pronged approach, namely drug supply and demand reduction that works in synergy with community engagement of CSO partners, non-government agencies (NGAs), the local government units (LGUs) and the entire DILG.
“With the strong partnership of the stakeholders in working and advocating the attainment of the objective of the Bida program, we hope to be of great contribution in empowering the communities, enjoining LGUs in anti-illegal drugs activities and raising public awareness of the ill effects of the use of illegal drugs,” said Regional Director Araceli San Jose.
She underscored that the program encourages people to stay away from drugs, and destigmatizing drug dependence and addiction by providing access to recovery and rehabilitation that aims to raise awareness on the ill effects of dangerous drugs through information, education and communication (IEC), promote health and wellness, strengthen institutions in the implementation of drug supply and demand reduction activities and encourage multi-sectoral participation.
“Guided by the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drug Strategy (PADS), this program is the Department’s medium-to long term program, in the national campaign against illegal drugs,” she added.
The BIDA program seeks to improve the quality of life and safeguard the Filipino people from criminality and the ill effects of illegal drugs, in a manner that is within the framework of law and with respect for human rights. It focuses on the pillars of prevention, law enforcement, prosecution and correction, and rehabilitation, wellness, and reintegration.
“We call for the active support of LGUs, law enforcement agencies, civil society and faith-based organizations, NGAs and other stakeholders in advocating for drug supply and demand reduction,” RD San Jose added.
LGUs’ participation
RD San Jose said that the LGUs should be given flexibility as to the execution of the activities such as multisectoral meetings and conferences, declaration of drug-free status for LGUs, seminars, webinars, symposiums, and/or fora on drug prevention, fun runs, bike runs, caravans, sports fests, concerts/ music festivals, presentation of graduates of Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Program (CBDRP) and recovery wellness programs, showcase of products from rehabilitation facilities and NGA programs and services catered to recovering Persons Who Use Drugs (PWUDs), and their families, inauguration of Special Drug Education Center (SDEC) and rehabilitation centers, implementation of youth-initiated activities and competitions and other similar activities under the banner of Bida.
“The LGUs are in the forefront of this effort and are expected to implement year-round, consistent, and sustained programs, projects, and activities towards the operationalization and institutionalization of the Bida program,” she said.
Adding, “The local chief executives (LCEs) should lead the implementation of the program and mobilize the various departments and offices in the LGUs including those in the Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Adac) and other key stakeholders,” she said.
DILG’s Bida program
Based on the Bidainstitutional framework, the interior sector of DILG should be in charge of supply reduction where the Philippine National Police (PNP) is the primary actor, while the Local Government Sector should be in charge mainly of the demand reduction initiatives where the rehabilitation and reintegration program, as well as drug preventive education and advocacy programs provided by the Department attached agencies, may come in synergy.
In Cordillera, the Department has launched the Bida program on November 28, 2022 where all concerned offices and agencies pledged their commitment to the program implementation.
Meanwhile, on the sideline of Bida Caravan, fifty-four Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (Adacs) in the region were recognized by the Department as best performing Adacs during the Awarding of Best Performing Local Government Units cum Buhay Ingatan, Droga'y Ayawan Caravan held last February 8, 2023.
As of today, she said that the Department continues to actively implement programs for anti-illegal drugs in the region through the CBDRP, SDEC, Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Badacs), Adacs and Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (Icad) Advocacy Cluster Meetings. (PR)