All 41,906 Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADACs) nationwide will be assessed starting April 1, 2022 to ensure their continued progress and improved performance in the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of anti-illegal drugs activities within their locality, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
“BADACs have a critical role in the whole-of-government approach in countering the proliferation of illegal drugs in the communities. The assessment of BADACs starting on April 1 is a necessary calibration to ensure that each BADAC is not only organized but also functioning and meeting the standard set by the national government,” said DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año.
“The Duterte administration is resolute in its anti-illegal drugs campaign down to the communities until the last day of his term, and guaranteeing BADACs are well-oiled or smoothly functioning and assessing their progress are contributory to protecting communities against illegal drugs and their perpetrators,” he added.
Through an advisory, he said that DILG Regional Offices (ROs) must assess at least 93 percent of the BADACs within their area of jurisdiction to gauge their level of performance in implementing programs and instituting measures against illegal drugs.
According to the DILG’s National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO), there are 41,906 BADACs nationwide with Luzon holding the most number with 20,440 followed by 11,413 in Visayas, and Mindanao tallying 10,053.
With respect to various alert levels currently being implemented in the country, Año said that in barangays under Alert Levels 3, 4, and 5, the assessment must be put on hold and will only resume once those areas are placed under Alert Level 2 and below. “We must adapt as the COVID-19 pandemic is still within our midst. BADAC assessment must take a pause kung mataas ang kaso ng COVID-19 sa lugar,” he added.
Año said that provincial, city, or municipal audit reports must be submitted to the DILG RO in consideration of the deadline set by the DILG Central Office on the submission of the Regional Summary Report to the NBOO which is on or before July 15, 2022.
He likewise said that the BADAC functionality audit shall be conducted using the assessment criteria set by the DILG-Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2018-01 stating the implementing guidelines on the functionality and effectiveness of Local ADACs; and DILG Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2018-135 containing the technical guide notes on BADAC Functionality Audit and Barangay Drug Clearing Program (BDCP) Monitoring and Evaluation System.
Under DILG-DDB JMC No. 2018-01, the criteria gauging the functionality of BADACs are: creation or reorganization of BADACs; BADAC Plan of Action; establishment of Barangay Rehabilitation Referral Desk with Desk Officer; allocation of fund; organization of BADAC Auxiliary Team; organization of House Clusters with designated Cluster Leaders; implementation of drug abuse prevention advocacy campaign; implementation of drug-clearing operations; and, implementation of community-based interventions for Persons Who Used Drugs (PWUDs).
Meanwhile, DILG MC 2018-135 briefly discusses the evaluation technical guide notes topics such as compliance standards; data management protocols and reporting system; and, time frame of the audit process.
BADACs are composed of the Punong Barangay as the Chairperson; Sangguniang Barangay Kagawad (Chair of Peace and Order) as Vice-Chairperson; and, Sangguniang Kabataan Chairperson, Public School Principal or representative, Executive Officer/Chief Tanod, at least to representatives from non-government organizations and civil society organizations, Sangguniang Barangay Kagawad (Chair of Women and Family).
Among the responsibilities of BADACs are identifying drug-affected areas; creating BADAC Plan of Action; equipping Barangay Tanods and BADAC Auxiliary Team on their roles and functions in the campaign against illegal drugs; assisting PWUDs who surrendered to Barangay Rehabilitation and Referral Desk; and, monitoring individuals who are undertaking Community-Based Rehabilitation Treatment.