The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will recognize the best-performing local Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (ADACs) which have been fairly successful in the implementation of anti-illegal drugs initiatives in their localities after the stringent assessment of the ADACs of 81 provinces, 146 cities, and 1,488 municipalities from April to June this year.

“We will start the assessment of the ADACs to determine who are doing well and who are lagging behind in their anti-illegal drugs campaign. Pagkatapos ng assessment ay pararangalan natin ang mga ADACs na maayos at masigasig na nagtrabaho,” said DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año.

Año said ADACs’ performance must maintain steady progress to cope with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to rid communities of illegal drugs and its perpetrators. He said the said recognition and assessment will ensure that all ADACs 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 kaya nararapat lamang na kilalanin natin ang kanilang natatanging mga ambag sa pagsugpo sa iligal na droga sa bansa,” Año said. “Thus, it is also vital to evaluate their performance and see what can still be improved in our policies and enforcements,” he added.

Through DILG Memorandum Circular (MC) 2022-034, Año said that outstanding ADACs 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 that garnered 75 or more points, Año said, shall be awarded in a ceremony to be organized by the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy-Project Management Office (PADS-PMO) to recognize and incentivize the best-performing ADACS in the country.

To be eligible for the award, Año said that the ADACs should first attain a high rating and rated as Highly Functional in the ADAC Performance Audit to be conducted by the DILG, through the PADS-PMO that will assess their functionality and effectiveness in the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of anti-illegal drug activities.

He said that the functionality of ADACs and their audit score shall 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, their innovations.

ADACs which attained 85 to 100 points will be classified as Highly Functional, those who gained 51 to 84 points are Moderately Functional, while those with 50 points and below are Low Functional.

“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 shall be given to Moderate and Highly Functional ADACs, while appropriate legal action and/or intervention shall be recommended to Low functional councils.

The ADAC performance audit is a collaboration between national government agencies (NGAs) and LGUs as well as civil society organizations (CSOs) that employs a multi-level and participatory audit structure to assure the integrity of the audit process and its results.

ADACs at the provincial, city and municipal levels are composed of the concerned local chief executive as chairperson and with members from the Philippine National Police (PNP), DILG, Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Justice (DOJ), local courts, as well as the local health officer, social welfare and development officer, public information officer, parole and probation and parole officer and two representatives from non-government organizations and one representative from interfaith groups.

Original Article at: https://dilg.gov.ph/news/DILG-to-award-best-performing-ADACs-after-stringent-assessment/NC-2022-1038