PADAC to focus on drug-free workplace on 2020 search for outstanding ADACs

The Provincial Anti_Drug Abuse Council(PADAC) headed by Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo Jr. will focus on Drug-Free Workplace as one of its new criteria for the upcoming Search for Outstanding Municipal/ City Anti-Drug Abuse Councils next year.
PADAC Secretariat Genelene Vidanes said, each year the criteria keep on changing to cope with the need and time.
This year, more emphasis was given to advocacy campaigns as a means on Demand Reduction.
The council which is composed of different agencies are working hard to eradicate the proliferation of illegal drugs.
The Department of Interior and Local Government is in charge of the Functionality of the ADACs; The Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency are in charge of the enforcement; the Department of Education, DILG, PNP and the Provincial Information Office for the Advocacy; while the Integrated Provincial Health Office will take care of the Community-Based Treatment.
The conduct of the Search is one of the strategies of PADAC to ensure that the Municipality, City and the Barangay ADACs also perform their respective roles.
Earlier, the provincial government of South Cotabato through the PADAC conducted the awarding ceremony for the Best ADAC. LGU-Surallah once again bags the most coveted First Place award and got home Php500,000 cash prize; Municipality of Sto. Niño won second place and brought home 400k; Municipality of Norala, 3rd Place with Php300k: Municipality of Tantangan, 4th Place with Php 200; and the municipality of Banga, 5th place with Php100k. Municipality of T’boli, Lake Sebu, Tampakan, Koronadal, Tupi, Polomolok received a consolation prize of P 50,000.
PADAC also gave awards to deserving partners such as Best D.A.R.E Officer; Best Barkada Kontra Droga (BKD) Implementor; Best Rehabilitation and Integration Cluster and Outstanding Secretariat Office.
These winners also receive cash incentives.
Meanwhile, the Department of Interior and Local Government in South Cotabato is pushing the legislative branch of the province to pass an ordinance to strengthen the implementation of the Drug-Free Workplace based on the Executive Order (EO) 66 recently issued by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Aside from this, PADAC has already started several initiatives on drug-free workplace and is hoping the MADACs in their respective areas will also follow suit.
This year, the council has put-up Balay Silangan, which is one of the milestone initiatives under the Tamayo administration.
With the proposed budget of Php20 million next year, the council believes it can achieve more through the continued cooperation of all its partner agencies.