Pursuant to Executive Order No. 18, Series of 2013, Chairman of the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council, Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, reconstituted the CADAC, in compliance with DILG Memorandum Circular No. 98-227 which mandate the creation of the CADAC’s at all levels of local government units and provided for its duties and functions.
The CADAC, as a specially created office, is an adequate facility to take the lead in the prevention and control of drug abuse in the city and suburbs. It serves as a repository of statistical data, information and reports on drug users, abusers and pushers coming from other law enforcement units, the barangays, other LGUs and NGOs. Its operational capability must be manifested and felt before, during and after the occurrence of the drug menace.
The CADAC has indicated that community involvement, timely acquisition of information, increasing awareness through education campaign and team coordination among various government agencies in the implementation of programs are key factors in crime prevention and prosecution and needs further enhancement in the campaign against prohibited drugs.
The City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) under the office of the City Mayor is conceptualizing to create a cross – sectoral body involving the local government and the private sectors that will be responsible and will undertake, but is not limited to, the following roles in decreasing substance and drug use among Davao City residents; to promote to understand the phenomenon of drug addiction to all sectors of the city specially at the community/barangay level; to engage private sectors specially the education community in the research and designing of the education programs tailored to respond to the needs of the community/barangays and advocate for legislative agenda to fight drug abuse and addition; to establish a central office that will address drug abuse prevention needs such as but not limited to; referrals for counseling and treatment; voluntary rehabilitation; emergency response to calls for help or helplines; and learning resource center or special drug education center.
DAVAO CITY A DRUG-FREE CITY
Davao City is regarded as a model for other cities in the country. The local government is much admitted not just nationally but also internationally. It has led in crafting landmarks pieces of legislation, such as anti – smoking ordinances; fire cracker ban; speed limit ordinance, among others. It pioneered innovations in local governance, strong political will in implementing policies and programs, a high level of self-sufficiency; and its pluralist and liberal political climate result in significant grassroots and civil society participation.
Davao City is the only Asian City that has an integrated emergency response system similar to that of the United States and Canada, the difference being that in Davao City, the service is absolutely for free and totally subsidized by the local government, Central 911 responds to all kinds of emergency; medical, fire, police assistance, natural or man-made disaster. The Davao City Disaster Coordinating Council has been cited as the best prepared disaster coordinating council in the country.
These achievements were closely attributed to the political leadership in the city, in the fight against drug and drug addiction, the City Government focus and drive are in the law enforcement through the agencies of the government. Admittedly, drug abuse as social phenomenon is best addressed when government and private sector collaborate to engage the communities in understanding, empowering and co – opting in solving drug abuse.