LGUs Recognized for Anti-drug Efforts and Child-friendly Programs

On its third year of implementation, the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office’s Sugbo Kontra Droga (SUKOD) program recognized two local government units and two police stations for its excellent performance in the fight against illegal drugs.

The City of Naga and the Municipality of Liloan was awarded as grand champions in the city level and municipal level, respectively, for its best performing anti-drug abuse councils. Liloan was also hailed as last year’s winner in the municipal level.

For the police station category, Bogo City Police Station emerged as grand champion in best performing police station, while Consolacion Police Station bagged the first place in the municipal level for the 2nd consecutive year.

CPADAO head Carmen Durano-Meca pointed out that while the SUKOD program has accomplished a lot in the past years, there is still a lot of work to be done and the Province needs to do more in its anti-drug campaign.

SUKOD is the Provincial Government’s holistic, multi-sectoral, province-wide, anti-drug abuse program designed to guide, evaluate and monitor the performance of LGUs based on a set of indicators all in line with dangerous drug board regulations and Department of Interior and Local Government mandates.

It uses a performance scorecard system and criteria developed by the Philippine National Police, Department of Education, Provincial Health Office, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office and CPADAO.

Aside from the community-based drug prevention criteria, SUKOD assesses the LGUs’ ADAC organization and functionality, purok system, participation of school, legislative measures, social economics, and performance of the PNP. All LGUs were assessed based on documents and on-site evaluation.

In her keynote address during the awarding ceremony, Vice Governor Agnes A. Magpale highlighted CPADAO’s SUKOD program, tagging it as a game-changer in the recent evaluations of LGUs.

Most Child-Friendly LGUs

Winners of the SUKOD program were announced during the awarding ceremony last November 28 at the Grand Convention Center, wherein the award for Most Child-Friendly LGU was also given out.

The search, led by the Provincial Council for the Welfare of Children, recognizes the vital role of the LGUs in promoting and protecting children’s right to survival, development, protection, and participation.

It also recognizes the LGUs’ efforts in creating an environment conducive to children’s development.

Talisay City won in the city category, while winners for the municipalities per class were: Dalaguete (1st to 2nd class), Oslob (3rd to 4th class) and Pilar in Camotes Island (5th class). Barangay Esperanza, in Poro town, Camotes Island won in the barangay level.

All winners in the city and municipal level won P100,000 while the winner for the barangay level received P50,000.

The grand awarding ceremony also had the announcement of winners for the Provincial Competitiveness Challenge by the Cebu Investment and Promotions Office and the Our Cebu program. (CIPO Correspondent July Anne Guibone)

cebu.gov.ph