LEGAZPI CITY ALBAY (PIA5/Albay)--The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Bicol awarded the Local Government Units (LGUs) of Camalig, Bacacay, and Malilipot Albay as 2022 national Anti-Drug Abuse Council (ADAC) performance awardees for their anti-illegal drug programs.
The awarding ceremony was held during the launching of regional and provincial Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) program led by SILG Atty. Benjamin Abalos, Jr. on Jan. 27, Friday at Camp Ola, this city.
‘’Ás an active anti-illegal drug advocate, LGU-Camalig continuously pushes for the implementation of innovative and comprehensive efforts focused on fending off the influence of illegal drugs to the youth, marginalized sector, and reforming Persons Who Used Drugs (PWUDs) into self-sufficient and law-abiding members of society,’’ Camalig mayor Carlos Irwin Baldo said.
ATENDEES. On the regional and provincial launcing of Buhay Ingatan, Droga'y Ayawan (BIDA) program, local government executives and individual from different agencies attended the said event at Camp Ola Legazpi City on Jan. 27, 2023. Photo courtesy of: Mayor Carlos Irwin Baldo
The efforts of LGU-Bacacay led by Mayor Armando B. Romano and LGU-Malilipot Mayor Cenon Volante was also recognized.
DILG memorandum circular no. 2022-034 cited that the purpose of ADAC was to (1) asses the functionality and effectiveness of local ADACs based on existing issuances and policies, (2) determine ADAC endorsed innovations and best practices at all levels, (3) create evaluation and assessment platform, and (4) recognize effective and performing ADAC’s.
‘’In 2022, LGU-Camalig was also recognized as one of the high functional ADACs in the entire province of Albay and garnered 95.5% rating in the ADAC audit 2021 and was recognized as the best performing Municipal Anti Drug Abuse Council (MADAC) by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA),’’Baldo said.
On Dec. 27, 2022, LGU-Camalig launched the ’Balay Silangan’ through the MADAC and PDEA, which serves as a community-based reformation and rehabilitation facility that provides counseling, values formation, livelihood, moral recovery programs and other services for PWUDs.
BIDA program was an intensified campaign against illegal drugs focused on the grassroots. It aims to eradicate drugs and poverty through the programs and services initiated by the barangay up to the national level.
‘’Participated by a total of 1,456 individuals under various government agencies, the BIDA initiative aligns with the thrust of the current administration of eradicating the illegal drug problem through drug demand reduction and rehabilitation,’’Mayor Baldo said.(PIA5/CLM/Albay)
Photo cover: Courtesy of Mayor Carlos Irwin Baldo
