The Department of the Interior and Local Government on Tuesday said its anti-illegal drugs advocacy program "Buhay Ingatan, Droga'y Ayawan" (BIDA) has reached the Municipality of Polomolok in South Cotabato where around 4,000 runners and advocates joined the 4-kilometer "BIDA Run sa Bagong Polomolok 2023" early Saturday morning.
DILG Undersecretary Margarita Gutierrez, who led the early morning run, urged all local government units (LGUs) to sustain the momentum initiated by the BIDA program "to ensure that the aspiration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. of having a drug-free Philippines will turn into reality in the nearest future."
"Umabot na ang ating kampanya [BIDA Program], at ang mensahe ng ating Pangulo kontra sa iligal na droga sa napakagandang bayan ng Polomolok dito sa South Cotabato. And I am very delighted by your resounding response to our call for unity," she said.
Gutierrez said that as the new face of the national government's anti-illegal drugs program, BIDA seeks to incite the participation of various sectors of society to attain its goal.
"As DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos said, there are no shortcuts to victory over drugs. The only effective way is a comprehensive, long-term approach, which combines effective law enforcement with prevention, treatment, and social support," she said.
BIDA is a whole-of-nation, whole-of-government approach involving the national agencies, local government units, academe, faith-based sector, and the private sector that focuses more on drug demand reduction and rehabilitation alongside law enforcement operations.
Polomolok Mayor Bernie T. Palencia expressed his appreciation to DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos for leading the BIDA program and committed the full support of the municipality to the national government's anti-illegal drugs campaign bannered by the BIDA Program.
