The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency attributed the success of the campaign against war on drugs in Davao region to the reactivation of the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC).
PDEA-11 Regional Director Antonio E. Rivera said that BADAC is one of the reasons why there is a lesser volume of proliferation of drugs in the region.
Rivera said that as compared to other regions in the country, all barangays in the region are more compliant.
“Here in Region 11, all barangay BADACs are functioniong. We just need a little push in order to achieve their 100% participation,” Rivera said.
BADAC was initiated by then Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas that aimed to lead the battle against illegal drugs in a small community like the barangay.
The new memorandum for the BADAC was released earlier this year, noting that barangay officials will be sanctioned for non-compliance of putting up the said council.
After the barangay elections last May this year, DILG ordered a 60-day activation to all barangays in the country.
The PDEA director emphasized the important role of the barangays in the government’s all-out war against illegal drugs.
“BADAC is one contributing force in our campaign against illegal drugs because most of them are within the barangays,” Rivera added, “If we do not empower the barangay, the police and PDEA cannot do it alone with this drug war of ours.”