LAW enforcement agencies have confiscated around P10.41 billion worth of illegal drugs from January to December 2023 amid the implementation of the Marcos administration’s new approach to address the drug menace.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that 56,495 drug suspects were arrested during the conduct of 44,000 anti-illegal drug operations during the said period.
Through the consolidated efforts of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the PNP, the government cleared 27,968 barangays of illegal drugs.
Malacañang said in a separate annual accomplishment report that 23 provinces, 447 municipalities, and 43 cities have established their respective community-based drug rehabilitation programs (CBDRPs) as of December 27, 2023.
It said 50 provinces, 1,160 municipalities, and 30 cities have functional Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (ADACs) implementing anti-drug priorities at the local level while 74 in-patient treatment and rehabilitation facilities were also put up across the country.
Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s antil-illegal drugs approach, the efforts were centered in rehabilitation, reintegration, and preventive education programs specifically for the youth.
In November 2022, the DILG, in partnership with other National Government Agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), the private sector, faith-based and civil society organizations, launched the Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Iwasan (Bida) Program, which aims to guarantee the execution of diverse anti-drug objectives within local communities.
PDEA earlier said they are intensifying their efforts against top-level drug personalities not only by arresting them but also by strengthening financial investigation to immobilize their assets.
It also implements programs to train and capacitate LGUs and stakeholders in the anti-illegal drug advocacy and rehabilitation campaign programs.
The administration is aiming to clear the country from illegal drugs by 2028.
It also targets to reduce the target-listed drug personalities by 10 percent of the annual target list and establish CBDRPs and ADACs in all provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays by June 2028.
It also wants to attain a 1:1 ratio of established treatment and rehabilitation facilities per province by 2028. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)