BIDA PROGRAM. San Jose de Buenavista acting chief of police Maj. Geremy Ian Magbanua on Wednesday (June 14, 2023) says they are strengthening their campaign against illegal drugs in support of the Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan program. The local police will bring their advocacy campaign to schools and communities, he said in a press conference at the San Jose de Buenavista Police Station. (PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The San Jose de Buenavista Municipal Police Station in Antique will conduct frequent awareness campaigns in schools and communities on the ill effects of illegal drugs in support of the Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) program.
BIDA, an intensified and holistic campaign against illegal drugs, was launched in Antique on Tuesday.
“We have several programs anchored on BIDA,” said San Jose de Buenavista acting police chief Maj. Geremy Ian Magbanua in a press conference held at the San Jose de Buenavista Police Station on Wednesday.
Magbanua said that they will be holding lectures and symposia depending on the availability of schools.
The acting MPS chief convened on Wednesday various Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADACs) in the municipality as an initial step in reaching out to communities.
All 28 barangays of Antique’s capital town have been declared free from illegal drugs under the Barangay Drug Clearing Program (BDCP).
“The BADAC will also be urged to focus also on those drug surrenderers or persons who used drugs (PWUDs) in their barangays for further interventions,” Magbanua said.
Hopefully local government units could allocate funds for their Balay Silangan for the Community-Based Rehabilitation Program of the PWUDs this year, he added.
The municipality is currently utilizing the Regional Evacuation Center in Barangay San Pedro for the CBRP and rehabilitated 375 PWUDs from 2016 until 2020.
A surprise drug test was conducted among the PWUDs in February this year and all turned out negative for the illegal substance.
Magbanua also said that while they are intensifying the campaign, they are also ready to use their “iron hand” on individuals who continue to engage in the illegal drug trade as part of their supply and demand reduction.
“We have a new personality arrested after a successful buy-bust operation yesterday, June 13,” the chief of police said.
Police operatives seized from the suspect PHP7,000 worth of shabu and PHP1,000 marked money. (PNA)
