Thousands join simultaneous launch of new antidrug drive BIDA

• Published date: 26 November 2022
• Publication title: Philippines News agency

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Saturday welcomed thousands who expressed their all-out support to the government's new antidrugs campaign dubbed as "Buhay Ingatan, Droga'y Ayawan" (BIDA) during its nationwide simultaneous grand launching.

The "BIDA" program launching took place at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City; Cebu Plaza Independencia, Cebu City; Xavier Ateneo Sports Centre, Cagayan de Oro City; and People's Park in Davao City.

DILG Secretary Benjamin C. Abalos Jr. said the BIDA program is a nationwide anti-illegal drugs advocacy involving local government units (LGUs), national government agencies (NGAs), and other key sectors of society that will focus more on drug demand reduction and rehabilitation in the communities coupled with arrests.

"Sa ating lahat, ang hamon ay ugatin natin ang problema ng droga. Dito sa BIDA, hindi lang kapulisan at iba pang law enforcement units ang kikilos, hanggang grassroots kasama natin dapat dito (For all of us, the challenge is to root out the drug problem. ([With] BIDA, it's not just the police and other law enforcement units that will act, we should be with the grassroots),' Abalos said.

He said the program aims for drug demand reduction and rehabilitation of drug dependents in the community, adding that the country's drug woes should be resolved at the grassroots level.

'Kung mayroon kang isang puno, gusto mong tanggalin ang sanga, putol ka nang putol ng sanga. Pero ang sanga, tubo nang tubo. Kung gusto mong tanggalin ang puno, ugatin mo, ugatin mo 'yung puno (If there is a tree, you cut the branches and you keep on cutting yet the branches keep on growing. If you want to cut the tree, get rid of its its roots, target the roots)," Abalos said.

'Ang problema ng droga ay parang yung puno (The problem on illegal drugs is similar to the tree)," he said.

Abalos said that various government anti-narcotics authorities have earnestly made arrests of drug personalities but more of their kind continue to prop up repeatedly.

'Kaya ang kailangan natin dito, hindi lang ang panghuli ng ating mga kapulisan, PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency), NBI (National Bureau of Investigation). Tulungan ng buong bayan, ugatin natin ang problema (What is needed is not only the police, PDEA, NBI...