Anti-drug campaign in the city of Candon

Abstract

This study entitled “Anti-Drug Campaign in the City of Candon’ was conducted in the calendar year 2017-2018. this research was conducted in order to explore the state of the intervention programs of the locale and the partnership between the city government of Candon and the different private organizations in the implementation of the anti-drug campaign program of the national government. Three barangay of the city of Candon were chosen with the greatest number of process of persons of interest who were arrested in the government. And with the aim of strengthening the partnership of the public and private sector in advancing the objectives of the anti-drug campaign, this study aimed at understanding the weaknesses of anti-drug campaign program in the locale and recommentding a re-orientation of the effective anti-drug campaign in the locale. This study aimed to examine the anti-drug intervention programs of the city government of Candon City particularly in the three barangay namely: San Isidro, San Jose and San Nicolas. Specifically, it sought answer to the following questions: 1. What is the profile of the “persons of interest” in Candon City? 2. How does the public sector of Candon implement the anti-drug campaign program? 3. In what way does the anti-drug campaign force the partnership between the public and private sector? Interview with the willing persons of interest, representative of the barangay officials of San Isidro PNP of Candon City, representative of faith-based groups, a representative of the Sanggunian Panlungsod (SP), and a representative of the City Health Office (CHO) was the primary means of gathering data to answer the research problems. Documentary analysis and ocular inspection of the three barangay were used to validate the interview data. Based on the research problems, the following are the findings: 1. The three barangay are located within the poblacion area. There are some remote areas, warehouses, and unfamiliar persons in the community who encourage the use, sale and proliferation of drugs in the area. Most of the persons of interests are married, male, and in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. They are mostly drivers, skilled workers, and butchers. They are engaged in physically demanding manual jobs that have to be completed in long hours. And t keep them awake and energetic, they resort to using shabu and marijuana. 2. The BADAC of barangay San Isidro, San Jose and San Nicolas are organized but not all barangay officials were familiar of the BADAC’s functions and accomplishments relevent to the anti-drug campaign. The city governments of Candon City delegated the anti-drug campaign program to the PNP, BADAC, CHO and Faith-Based Organizations. The PNP, BADAC, Faith-Based Organizations and CHO have difficulty in the implementation of the programs and encountered these problems; there is no cooperation of the persons of interest; lack of resources in the implementation of the programs; and, difficulty in arresting the persons of interest. The SP members have a limited participation in the war on drugs. This is through the enactment of ordinance or resolutions when needed in the implementation of the anti-drug campaign program. 3. The public sector (city government of Candon City through the city the PNP, BADAC, CHO and barangay officials) complied with the mandate of the law by acknowledging the inclusion of representatives of the NGO and Faith-Based Organizations had been tapped in the implementation of the community Based Rehabilitation Program (CBRP), there appears to be efforts in the complying with spirit of the said law. The city government and faith-based organizations simply conduct and initiate counselling, lectures and seminar. In the light of the findings of the study, the following conclusions have been drawn. 1. Most of the persons of interests are: married; male; in their 20s, 30s, and 40s; and, mostly drivers skilled workers, and butchers who are engaged in physically demanding manual jobs that have to be completed in long hours tempting them to use shabu or marijuana to keep them awake and energetic. 2. The public sector of Candon City implements the anti-drug campaign program by observing the provisions of the spelled out the composition. Powers and functions of the BADEAC, and the Command Circular No. 2015-16, PNP Anti-Illegal Campaign Plan which spelled out the procedure to be observed in the anti-drug campaign. 3. The inclusion of the representatives of the private sector (NGOs and faith-based organization) in the BADAC and the priority given to the spiritual enhancement of the drug surrenders as a basic component of their (drug surrenders) rehabilitation is what forges the partnership between the public and private sectors in the anti-drug campaign. Based from the findings and conclusions of the study, the following recommendations are proposed: 1. The public sector of Candon City must strengthen the intelligence network, police and BADAC visibility in the drug prone areas, and clean drive programs in the remote places of the barangay to minimize the illicit drug trade and use in the barangay. The persons of interest should stay away from using drugs. There is an alternative way to enhance and energized the body by proper exercise, healthy diet, clean living and strong faith in God to be taken care of by the CHO and faith-based groups. 2. The public should be vigilant enough to report the cases of drugs in their area. The BADACs of the locale and the Candon City PNP should step up their anti-drug education campaign in order to secure the cooperation of the public. Also, the city government and especially during the night and conduct cleaning operations in the remote or peripheral areas in the community to lessen or not to attract the entry of drugs in their barangay. 3. The public sector of BADAC must conduct a re-orientation seminar/training to the BADAC members, barangay officials, barangay tanods and residents so that they would be familiar with the functions, duties, responsibilities and procedures as implementers of the anti-drug campaign programs of the government. And the ties with faith-based organizations shall be strengthened as these faith-based organizations are committed in doing their share in rehabilitating the drug surrenders through spiritual enhancement.