INTERIOR and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. says sustaining the momentum of their flagship anti-drugs campaign is among the agency’s priority thrusts for this year.
Abalos also cited the on-going modernization and capacity-building initiatives of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and enhancing programs of the local government units as among the major driving forces of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The secretary made these observations during the traditional New Year’s courtesy call on him by DILG officials and personnel of the by issued the directives on Wednesday as he met with officials and personnel, including executives of regional offices and attached agencies.
In his State of the Department Address (SODA), Abalos highlighted the DILG’s accomplishments over the past year in the realm of peace and order, public safety, and local governance which he said were in support of the Marcos administration’s pursuit of a safer, more peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous Bagong Pilipinas.
Abalos said the DILG’s flagship Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) program will remain the driving force of the thrust against illegal drugs after the inaugural year of its nationwide implementation aided the seizure of some P10.41 billion worth of illegal drugs.
The program also led to the arrest of 56,495 drug suspects, establishment of 74 new in-patient treatment and rehabilitation facilities, and the declaration of 27,968 barangays as drug-cleared.
Abalos added that through the local anti-drug councils or ADACs, the DILG will bolster community-based rehabilitation interventions for persons who use drugs to eliminate recidivism.
“Our vision here is very simple: we want those rehabilitated PWUDs (persons who use drugs) to turn their backs from drugs completely. We eliminate recidivism so we can uproot the proverbial tree symbolizing the drug problem, once and for all,” he said.
Meanwhile, the DILG Chief instructed the BFP to continue its modernization and capacity-building initiatives to reduce the number of fire incidents and ensure that all the 1,634 cities and municipalities in the country will have functional fire trucks and fire stations.
To unleash the maximum potential of good local governance, Abalos said the DILG will continue to undertake capacity development interventions tailored to the specific needs of low-performing, low-capacity LGUs to ensure that no LGU will be left behind, especially in navigating the challenges posed by the devolution.
In the same address, Abalos also bared the accomplishments of the DILG’s attached agencies, namely, the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Jail Management of the Philippines, the BFP, the National Police Commission, the Philippine Public Safety College, the Local Government Academy, the National Youth Commission, the Philippine Commission on Women, and the National Commission on Muslim
Filipinos.
Also included in the DILG chief’s priorities this year is the continued digitalization of LGU frontline services; continued support to the newly-elected Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials; scaling up the crime prevention systems to sustain the reduction of
crime incidence in 2024; and the continued decongestion of jails and improving social services for persons deprived of liberty.
Abalos thanked the entire DILG workforce for a successful 2023 even as he rallied them to continue heeding the call of public service.
“Let us all bear in mind that access to decent public services is a rightful expectation of all citizens. So, let us all continue working together and give our people the best that we can offer. We still have many challenges to overcome. We still have many battles to overcome,” he stressed.