US gov’t donates 2-storey building, vehicles to PDEA

The US government on Thursday donated a two-storey building housing several classroms, as well as a van and three motorcycles to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

According to a report on GMA News' Balitanghali by Mark Zambrano, the six classrooms were built inside the PDEA Academy at Camp General Mariano Castañeda in Silang, Cavite.

The construction of the facility which started on January 19 and completed on August 21 was under the guidance of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Joint Interagency Task Force West (JIATF) and the US Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC).

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said the new facility would be used by drug enforcement agents who will undergo a six-month comprehensive and regimented training program.

He added that the new facility would be significant in training frontliners in the government's anti-drug campaign.

At least 200 agent trainees can be accommodated while a total of 126 agent trainees will benefit from the new classrooms this year.

Meanwhile, the Balitanghali report also quoted the PDEA as saying the newly built five-storey PDEA regional office building in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) would also be significant in helping the office in performing its mandate.

For his part, Michael Klecheski, Chargé d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Manila, said the US would remain supportive of the campaign of the Philippine government against illegal drugs and terrorism. — Marlly Rome Bondoc/MDM, GMA News