Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 4) — The government confiscated ₱10.41 billion worth of illegal drugs in the year 2023, clearing 27,968 drug-affected barangays, the Presidential Communications Office said on Thursday.
“In a report by the Philippine National Police (PNP), aside from confiscating large volume of illegal drugs, it arrested 56,495 suspects after conducting more than 44,000 anti-illegal drug operations,” the PCO said.
As part of the government’s anti-drug campaign, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the PNP have coordinated to establish anti-drug priorities such as rehabilitation, reintegration programs, and financial investigation into drug personalities’ assets, it added.
Citing the annual accomplishment report, the office said 23 provinces, 447 municipalities, and 43 cities have set up their “community-based drug rehabilitation programs” as of Dec. 27, 2023.
It added that 50 provinces, 1,160 municipalities, and 30 cities have functional local Anti-Drug Abuse Councils, while 74 have in-patient treatment and rehabilitation centers.
“In line with this, the DILG, in partnership with other national government agencies, local government units, the private sector, faith-based and civil society organizations, launched the Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Iwasan Program in November 2022,” it noted.
“The DDB, on the other hand, continues to implement the Barangay Drug Clearing Program, with the goal of attaining 100 percent drug-free/drug-cleared barangays by 2028,” the PCO added.
