BALANGA CITY – Seven local government units of Bataan have “exhibited exemplary performance in terms of functionality of their Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (ADACs).”
This was reported by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG Central Luzon) as they announced the Anti-Drug Abuse Council Performance Awardees.
The municipalities of Bagac, Orani and Pilar in Bataan got the Gold Award with 100% Functionality.
Meanwhile, the City of Balanga, municipalities of Dinalupihan, Morong, and Samal, Bataan got the Silver Award with High Functionality along with Guiginto, Bulacan, Provincial Government of Pampanga, Arayat, Pampanga and San Simon Pampanga.
Citing Balanga City Police Station’s performance, Balanga Police Chief, Police Supt. Byrone Allatog said: “We see a high performance percentage because our Barangays initiate all efforts in the Barangay Drug Clearing Operations. Like, 1.) the CBR or it’s Bahay-Pagbabago is Barangay-Based or Initiated, 2.) BADAC Meeting is done monthly from quarterly, etc.”
This year, to ensure the continued performance of all local anti-drug abuse councils (ADACs) in the campaign against illegal drugs, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has begun the conduct of performance audit of all provincial, city, and municipal ADACs nationwide.
“Ang kampanya laban sa iligal na droga ay hindi lang laban ni Pangulong Duterte, ng DILG, PNP, DDB at PDEA. Ito ay laban nating lahat dahil salot ito sa ating lipunan. Kaya dapat nating siguruhin na kasama natin ang mga pamahalaang lokal sa kampanyang ito (The campaign against illegal drugs is not the fight of President Duterte, DILG, PNP [Philippine National Police], DDB [Dangerous Drugs Board], and PDEA [Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency]. This is a fight of us all because it is a menace in our society. That’s why we must ensure that the local government is with us in this campaign),” DILG Officer-In-Charge Secretary Eduardo M. Año said in a recent news statement.
The audit covers all the 81 provincial, 145 city and 1,489 municipal ADACs nationwide.
In a Memorandum Circular 2018-159, Año said all ADACs will be audited based on the following criteria–organized local ADAC; conduct of quarterly meetings; allocation of funds for the implementation of anti-drug activities indicated in the Peace and Order and Public Safety (POPS) Plan; implementation of ADAC plans and programs; support for ADACs in component local government units (LGUs) and; innovation.
“Despite the unrelenting drive of the government against illegal drugs, the problem has yet to be solved. We need a collective action, especially the ADACs to eliminate the problem,” the DILG chief said.
The ADAC performance audit team is organized and chaired by the DILG with representatives from the PNP, PDEA, and civil society organizations (CSOs) from the regional, provincial and national offices.
Two of the main functions of ADACs are the establishment of community-based rehabilitation services and conduct of Drug Clearing Operations.
Five phases were done in the implementation of the ADAC performance audits. Phase 1, which ran from September to October 24, involves data gathering of all required means of verification and filling out of forms.
Phase 2, ran from October 25 to November 28, involves review and verification of submitted documents and forms by the ADAC Provincial Audit Teams (APT) and ADAC Regional Audit Teams (ART).
Phase 3, was conducted from November 29 to December 11, that dwells on the finalization and calibration of all gathered scored and adjectival ratings of all ADACs nationwide by the ADAC National Audit Team (NAT).
For Phase 4, the NAT was presented the list of 2018 High Functioning ADACs based on the following metrics: high functionality (85-100-point score), moderate to high functionality (71-84-point score), moderate to low functionality (51-70-point score), and low functionality (50 points and below).
The approved list of ADAC performance metrics will be published by the DILG on December this year via the DILG website and/or print media.