Philippines to lead ASEAN talks on cross-border drug threats
The Philippines will lead regional discussions on combating illegal drug trafficking and strengthening prevention and rehabilitation programs as chair of the ninth ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters (AMMD) this October.
The meeting will bring together ministers and senior officials from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states to address increasingly complex drug threats that extend beyond national borders.
Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Chairman Oscar Valenzuela said the Philippines would push for a coordinated approach combining law enforcement, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration.
“The drug problem today is no longer confined by borders, nor can it be addressed by enforcement alone. Through the Enhanced Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy, we are strengthening a framework that brings together prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, social development, community participation, and law enforcement as part of a coordinated national response,” Valenzuela said.
He emphasized that regional cooperation must address both illegal drug supply and the social and health consequences of substance abuse.
“As Chair of the 9th AMMD, the Philippines looks forward to sharing our experience while learning from our ASEAN partners as we strengthen our collective response to emerging drug challenges and work toward safer and more resilient communities across the region,” he added.
The Philippines will highlight its Enhanced Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy, which integrates supply reduction and demand reduction with health, social and development programs.
The framework prioritizes sustained interventions to prevent drug use, support treatment and rehabilitation, and help recovering individuals reintegrate into their communities.
Regional discussions are also expected to focus on intelligence-sharing, cross-border trafficking and coordinated measures against transnational drug networks.
Apart from policy discussions, the Philippines will push for institutional reforms aimed at strengthening ASEAN's mechanisms for addressing illegal drugs.
These include the formal adoption of updated terminology for the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Drug Matters (ASOD) under the ASEAN Charter and guidelines governing the operations of the ministerial meeting and its subsidiary bodies.
The proposed measures seek to improve coordination, institutional continuity and the implementation of regional anti-drug initiatives.
The AMMD serves as ASEAN's highest ministerial-level forum dedicated to drug policy, providing strategic direction for regional cooperation.
Its work is supported by ASOD and other subsidiary mechanisms responsible for coordinating anti-drug initiatives among member states.
The DDB said the Philippines remains committed to an evidence-informed and people-centered strategy that combines law enforcement with public health, rehabilitation and community-based interventions.