Navotas City has received a perfect score from the Department of the Interior and Local Government for its exemplary performance in addressing the problem of illegal drugs.
The DILG-National Capital Region gave the city an ideal or high functionality rating in the 2018 National Anti-Drug Abuse Council Performance Audit for Highly Urbanized Cities.
The audit criteria included an organized local ADAC, implementation of ADAC plans and programs, fund allocation, support to ADACs in component LGUs, and conduct of regular meetings.
Mayor Toby Tiangco thanked members of the Navotas ADAC for their commitment to promote a drug-free city.
“The fight against drugs is never easy but we continue to forge ahead knowing that we need to do our utmost to protect our constituents,” he said.
“The security and safety of Navoteños and of Navotas are at stake. We cannot afford to slack off otherwise, all our efforts might come to naught,” he added.
Navotas has a Bidahan community-based rehabilitation program where drug users attend a three-day retreat and eventually undergo 6- or 18-months counselling. It also offers faith-based interventions such as Simula ng Pag-asa (SIPAG) and Katatagan Kontra Droga sa Komunidad.
Established in 2016, the Bidahan now has 24 batches composed of 716 participants. Of this, 133 completed the 6-month and 24 finished the 18-month aftercare program.
Other programs to boost the city’s anti-drug campaign include drug awareness and prevention lectures to Grade 6 pupils; year-round Navotas Sports Camp; random and mandatory drug testing for city hall employees, program beneficiaries and others; and drug-clearing of barangays.
Navotas now has 11 out of 18 barangays declared drug-cleared by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.