The government has started evaluating the works and accomplishments of local executives in the anti-illegal drugs campaign, and top performers would be known before President Duterte ends his term in June.
“We will start the assessment of Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (ADAC) to determine who are doing well and who are lagging behind in their anti-illegal drugs campaign. After the assessment, we will honor who have worked well,” Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement.
The best performers will be selected from 81 provinces, 146 cities, and 1,488 municipalities.
An ADAC is composed of the local chief executive as chair with members from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Education, Department of Justice, Department of Social Welfare and Development, local court and health offices, public information office, a parole and probation officer, two representatives from non-government organizations, and one from interfaith groups.
Top performers will be determined using the following criteria: Barangay ADAC (BADAC) functionality or the percentage of total barangays with highly functional BADACs (30 points); sustainability of ‘drug-cleared’ or ‘drug-free’ status (40 points); and, reduction of drug affectation as of 2020 (30 points).
ADACs which garnered 75 or more points would be awarded in a ceremony organized by the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy-Project Management Office (PADS-PMO), with incentives to boot.
ADACs that attained 85 to 100 points will be classified as Highly Functional, 51 to 84 points rated as Moderately Functional, and 50 points and below deemed Low Functional.
Año said the ADACs’ performance must maintain steady progress to cope with the directive of President Duterte to rid communities of illegal drugs, including the traffickers.
He added that the recognition and assessment will ensure that all councils nationwide are on the same page and are delivering according to the parameters established by the national government.
“Ensuring that ADACs are effectively performing their mandate is a paramount priority for the DILG. These ADACs are our allies in our anti-illegal drugs campaign so we just have to acknowledge their unique contributions to the suppression of illegal drugs in the country,” Año said. “Thus, it is also vital to evaluate their performance and see what can still be improved in our policies and enforcements.”
He said that the functionality of the ADACs and their audit score would be determined in terms of organized Local ADAC, conduct of ADAC meetings; allocation of funds for anti-illegal drug activities, formulation and implementation of ADAC plans and program; supervision and support to Component ADACs, and innovations undertaken.
“We are urging LGUs to strive for excellence and be proactive in their campaign against illegal drugs. LGUs who are effectively carrying out their duty in our ongoing campaign deserve to be awarded,” he added.
Certificates would be given to Moderate and Highly Functional ADACs, while appropriate legal action and/or intervention would be recommended for Low Functional ones.
The ADAC performance audit will be a collaboration among the national government agencies, the LGUs, and civil society organizations that employ a multi-level and participatory audit structure to ensure the integrity of the audit process and its results.
During the 2016 elections, then Davao City mayor and presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte made a promise that if elected, he will end the drug abuse and trafficking in the country three to six months into his term.