Amount of Commitment is More Important Than the Amount of Budget

Drugs and Crimes

In the United States, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is allocated billions of dollars as war chest in the fight against illegal drugs. It is the only nation that takes its battle beyond its borders. It extends its anti-drugs operations in Mexico and Colombia and even in the Philippines (there are DEA Agents assigned in the U.S. Embassy in Manila).

Why is this so? This is because the United States is the world’s biggest consumer of illegal drugs. Its users are supported by the drugs manufactured outside of America. Then why is the United States losing the war against illegal drugs? This is because the amount of commitment is more important than the amount of budget in the war against illegal drugs.

If the Philippines and its people continue to view that the war against illegal drugs could be addressed by simply allocating budgets, then it would continue to fail, as what is happening now.

As early as now, the Office of the President, through the Department of Budget and Management, is now busy collating the proposed budget of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to be submitted to the Congress for next year’s General Appropriations Act.

Admittedly, the monetary budget is important but what the country needs are men and women with bigger commitment. Wars are not won by those who have better logistics but it is won by those who have the bigger heart, dedication and commitment.

There are even duties and responsibilities that need not huge monetary allocations. Example is the activation of the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADAC). But what is happening? The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) continues to allow itself to be fooled of the false and fabricated monthly reports of the BADAC.

There is a circular from the DILG that requires Barangays to submit reports to the DILG. All Barangays in the country has complied with this requirement. However, the compliance is only through papers but not in reality.

Every barangay regularly submits its report, majority of which are all lies and fabrications. That is the very reason why the Cebu City Anti-Drug Abuse Council, in the activation of the BADACs, proposes that the report be made under oath. In the event that it is found out that the BADAC report prepared by the Barangay Captain and the Secretary are fabricated, then they will be charged for Falsification of Public Documents.

Our enforcers are sometimes more focused on making lack or lesser operations because of lesser funds; making this as an excused.

This should not be so, our enforcers must focused on maximizing the minimum, instead of being paralyzed simply because it has lesser funds.

The PDEA Director General, DILG Secretary and PNP Chief should not be “budget Centered”, instead it must be Commitment-Oriented.

These leaders must inspire their people and rally them to the most important weapon in the war against drugs: commitment and desire to win the war.

We cannot win the war against drugs by competing with the war chest of the drug syndicates, which are spending billions of pesos to bribe elected local and national officials, law enforcers, prosecutors and judges in order to prevent arrest, prosecution and conviction.

We will win the war by making our COMMITMENT bigger than the BUDGET of the enemy.

About the Author: Clarence Paul V. Oaminal is a lawyer and author of ‘The Textbook on The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002’. He is the Vice-chairman and Undersecretary of the Dangerous Drugs Board and is the current adviser and presiding officer of Cebu City Anti-Drug Abuse Council. He also hosts the local advocacy program ‘Krimen ug Drugas’ in CCTN Channel 47.