Makati’s anti-drug campaign presented as a model practice for ASEAN countries

MANILA, Philippines - The Makati City’s campaign against illegal drugs has been presented as a model practice for other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during an international conference held in the Makati Session Hall last Thursday. Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado, chairman of the Makati Anti-Drug Abuse Council (MADAC) presented Makati’s anti-drug strategy before some 70 delegates from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The delegates are attending the ASEAN and China Cooperative Operations in Response to Dangerous Drugs (ACCORD) Task Force meeting hosted by the city government of Makati. Also present were representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat led by Keo Chea and from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Center for East Asia and the Pacific led by Qianrong Wang. The annual Task Force meetings of the ACCORD aims to share best practices, identify indicators, gaps, future priorities and accomplishments in the attainment of a drug-free ASEAN by 2015, said Mr. Chea. During his presentation, Mr. Mercado said that Makati’s "holistic" approach to the fight against drugs involves not only arresting drug peddlers and users, but providing livelihood assistance and rehabilitation for them and their families. "Makati is the only LGU where barangays are grouped into clusters," he said. "Each cluster is conducting anti-drug surveillance and operations in coordination with the Makati Police." He added that the city also employs civilian volunteers who serve as informants and undercover assets. This, he said, enables MADAC to share and maximize resources and personnel. "MADAC itself is composed of various sectors of Makati and meets monthly to assess the drug situation in the city and subsequently adopt new or revised programs," he said. Aside from undertaking frequent buy-bust operations and arrests of pushers, Mr. Mercado said that the Makati government through MADAC also provides comprehensive rehabilitation and after-care services, through its "Handog Kalinga" program, in which the city extends livelihood assistance to rehabilitated drug offenders. Makati also conducts intensive information campaigns in schools and barangays, he added. - BusinessWorld