The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) welcomes a new regulation aimed to sustain the nationwide implementation of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program (BDCP).
“The new Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation provides enhanced provisions to ensure that the execution of the BDCP remains resolute,” said PDEA Director General Wilkins M. Villanueva.
The new regulation repealed the earlier DDB Regulation No. 3 Series of 2017, otherwise known as “Strengthening the Implementation of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program”.
To accelerate efforts in reducing drug-affectation in the country, the government adopted the BDCP– a holistic and whole-of-nation approach by enlisting the support of stakeholders, duty bearers and local government units (LGUs) in drug-clearing operations.
Among the salient features of the new Board Regulation include the following:
a. Provides emphasis on the provision of appropriate intervention to identified Persons Who Use Drugs (PWUDs), and qualified pushers;
b. Provides guidelines and procedures, including vetting and confirmation, for the declaration of drug-affected into drug-cleared barangay, municipality, city and province;
c. Balay Silangan as the sole intervention or reformation program for qualified drug pushers;
d. Conducts drug test on rehabilitated PWUDs and drug reformists who underwent general intervention and community drug treatment and rehabilitation programs; and
e. Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADACs) are required to submit a monthly report on the status of all identified PWUDs.
The BDCP implementation follows a three-tier stage namely: Foundation Stage which defines the readiness of the barangay to undertake the BDCP; Pivotal Stage exemplifies that the BDCP is properly implemented and its impact is felt by the community; and Sustainability Stage means that the level of BDCP implementation is consistent. This is indicated by empowered and self-policing barangays, resilient citizens, stigma-free rehabilitated PWUDs and drug reformists.
“Persistent and consistent. This is the way to go as we strive to eliminate illegal drugs barangay by barangay. The country’s drug problem is half solved as long as active and unfaltering BDCPs exist in our communities,” the PDEA chief assured.