Mayor Benjamin Magalong is bent on linking the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Cadac) to an international coalition in a bid to improve the functionality of Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (Badacs).
Magalong was approached by Dr. Raquel Tolentino, in-country coordinator of the Community Anti-Drug Abuse Coalition, during his business trip in Dallas, Texas where the group offered their help in conducting a strategic planning workshop for the Cadac members.
The non-government organization is under the umbrella of the Association of Anti-Drug Abuse Coalitions of the Philippines Incorporated with funding from the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America (Cadca) to strengthen coalition building towards a common goal – prevent illegal substance use.
Capacity development training will be provided by Tolentino’s group to Cadac and Badac members where best practices and logic models will be shared in crafting local policies focused on drug-use prevention and health promotion including methods to sustain drug-cleared barangays.
A two-day strategic planning workshop was conducted on Aug. 16 to 17 attended by nearly a hundred Cadac members as an initial activity.
The mayor hopes with the help of the coalition, Badacs with low performance will be able to catch up.
Data from the audit team of the Department of the Interior and Local Government Cordillera gave a total score of 89.50 percent for Badacs functionality based on the calendar year 2022 review of accomplishments.
The DILG-Cordillera audit team said Baguio City’s Badac rate is equivalent to high functional performance.
However, the mayor said he is not satisfied with the Badacs’ assessment result.
“Our target score should be 95 points or more and to reach that goal we need to have an outlook of our Badacs performance at least twice a year before the audit of the DILG,” the mayor ordered.
The audit of Badacs is based on the 10-point criteria set forth through DILG memorandum circulars. – Jessa Mardy P. Samidan
