NOTE: THIS PRESS RELEASE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHORNICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) recognized the Tagbilaran City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) in its efforts towards drug prevention and rehabilitation. The DILG conferred the National Anti-Drug Abuse Council Performance Award last Thursday, May 27, in a simple ceremony attended by DILG Provincial Director Jerome Gonzales and City Local Government Operations Officer Regina Gina Bastes.
The CADAC in Tagbilaran City passed the performance audit conducted by the DILG. The DILG audit team assessed the functionality and effectiveness of the CADAC based on its existing issuances and policies and determined its innovations and best practices at all levels.
To determine the Council’s functionality, the DILG audit team checked its organization, conduct of meetings, fund allocation, and innovations. The results of the performance audit merited Tagbilaran City’s CADAC of 85.5 audit score which means that it is highly functional and is classified as IDEAL. City Mayor John Geesnell “BABA” Yap congratulated the CADAC and commended its efforts,
“The CADAC who takes the lead in the prevention and control of illegal drugs in Tagbilaran has proven that the involvement of the barangays and timely coordination with the various government agencies are key factors in making anti-illegal drugs initiatives successful, “Mayor Yap said.
Mayor Yap has been supportive of the various activities spearheaded by CADAC, specifically with the Matrix Intensive Out-Patient Program (MIOP). MIOP is a community-based drug recovery intervention for low to mild risk illicit drug users. It is an initiative to improve the drug recovery skills and skills of users to help them re-integrate to normal community life.
The design of the modules includes the use of small groups, interactive and creative methodologies, and the use of music and prayer when appropriate. The modules also considered Filipino cultural values such as the importance of family and friends. To date, there are already 136 graduates of the MIOP from Tagbilaran City and 449 are currently having training sessions.
The CADAC chaired by Mayor Yap and facilitated by BACU Head Alvin Acuzar has been constantly on the move, conducting interventionists training, social support group training, revalidation, drug symposia, and random drug testing.
For 2021, CADAC is looking to developing livelihood programs for the graduates, benchmarking sessions, technical and financial support for the functionality of drug intervention programs in the barangays, and complementation of programs, plans, and services between barangay anti-illegal drug councils and CADAC.