Dangerous Drugs Board

The responsibilities of public institutions increasingly extend into the digital space. From the delivery of government services to the prevention of criminal activities, technology now influences how governments operate, how information moves, and how security challenges emerge.

The growing importance of these competencies was highlighted during the Joint Graduation Ceremony of the Cyber Orientation Course Class 2026-04 and Cyber Intermediate Course Class 2026-04, where Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Chairperson - Secretary Oscar Valenzuela, joined the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) and its National Cyber Training Institute (NCTI) in recognizing professionals who completed specialized training in cybersecurity and digital risk management.

Bringing together officers from key national government agencies at the forefront of public safety, security, intelligence, and drug control efforts, the training programs combined specialized instruction and practical exercises to strengthen participants' capacity to address emerging cyber threats and digital risks.

Among the graduates were three personnel from the DDB's Management Information Systems Division (MISD), whose work supports the Board's digital operations and information management initiatives. Their participation highlights the increasingly important role of information systems in supporting government operations, safeguarding institutional data, and ensuring the reliability of services that depend on secure digital infrastructure.

In his keynote message, Secretary Valenzuela emphasized that cybersecurity has become an essential component of public safety and national security. He noted that criminal activities, including illegal drug operations, increasingly utilize digital platforms and technologies, making cyber preparedness an important consideration in efforts to protect communities and uphold the rule of law.

He likewise cited the adoption of DDB Board Regulation No. 12, which established a cyber and information technology service within the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), as a concrete example of how government institutions are strengthening their capabilities to address emerging threats that increasingly exploit digital platforms and technologies.

Cybersecurity is no longer confined to the realm of technical specialists. It has become an increasingly important consideration in the work of governance, public safety, and national security. As society becomes more connected, the ability to anticipate, understand, and respond to digital threats is becoming an integral part of protecting communities and strengthening institutions.

Hundreds of QCitizens gathered along Tomas Morato for Scout Run 2026: 𝘽𝙞𝙙𝙖 𝙠𝙖 𝘿𝙖𝙗𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙖𝙙𝙨! 𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙗𝙤 𝙇𝙖𝙗𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙖 𝘿𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙖: 𝙈𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙤𝙜 𝙣𝙖 𝙋𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙩 𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙖 𝙆𝙖𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙥𝙖𝙣, a free fun run organized by the Quezon City Anti-Drug Abuse Advisory Council (QCADAAC) in partnership with the Office of Vice Mayor Gian Sotto.

The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), represented by its Deputy Executive Director for Administration - Assistant Secretary Ma. Victoria Sorne, joined residents, local organizations, and advocates as participants in the activity held in observance of the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (IDADAIT).

The initiative highlighted the importance of active lifestyles, physical wellness, and community participation in promoting healthier and safer communities. Through activities held in shared public spaces, programs such as Scout Run 2026 help make prevention advocacy more visible and accessible to families, young people, and local communities.

The event also reflected the value of local partnerships in encouraging public participation and supporting community-based prevention efforts. By bringing together residents, institutions, and local leaders in one activity, Scout Run 2026 demonstrated how local initiatives can help sustain conversations on wellness, prevention, and community safety.

Patuloy na ipinapakita ng mga ganitong inisyatiba ang kahalagahan ng aktibong pakikilahok ng komunidad sa pagsusulong ng kalusugan at kaligtasan sa ating mga pamayanan.

Access to treatment and rehabilitation begins with institutions that understand how to properly guide individuals and families through available recovery pathways.

To strengthen this capacity at the local level, the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), in partnership with the Provincial Government of Agusan del Norte, conducted an Orientation Seminar for Authorized Representatives under Republic Act No. 9165. The activity focused on the role of authorized representatives in facilitating petitions for voluntary confinement and helping connect persons who use drugs to lawful treatment and rehabilitation services.
The seminar gathered representatives from local government units (LGUs), Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (ADACs), and accredited rehabilitation centers, highlighting the importance of coordination among institutions involved in community-based rehabilitation and recovery support systems.

Provincial Administrator Elizabeth Calo and DDB Deputy Executive Director for Operations, Assistant Secretary Ferdaussi Masnar, emphasized the need to strengthen collaboration across agencies and local institutions to ensure that rehabilitation mechanisms remain accessible, responsive, and aligned with existing laws and policies.

Technical discussions were facilitated by resource persons from the DDB’s Preventive Education, Training and Information Division (PETID) and Legal Affairs Division (LAD), with Assistant Secretary Masnar, leading key discussions and sharing insights on the legal foundations, procedures, and institutional responsibilities related to voluntary treatment and confinement under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

The activity forms part of the DDB’s continuing efforts to strengthen institutional readiness and support systems for treatment and rehabilitation. Through capacity-building initiatives and partnerships with local stakeholders, the Board continues to advance a public health and human rights-based approach that recognizes recovery as a shared responsibility among government, communities, and families.

Workplace policies often focus on productivity, performance, and operational efficiency. Increasingly, however, institutions are also recognizing the importance of building workplace environments that protect employee welfare, strengthen accountability, and contribute to safer communities.

In Agusan del Norte, these priorities formed part of the discussions during the Orientation Seminar on the Drug-Free Workplace Program conducted by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), through its Preventive Education, Training and Information Division (PETID), in partnership with the Provincial Government of Agusan del Norte and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), in Butuan City.

Anchored on Republic Act No. 9165 and DDB Board Resolution No. 13, Series of 2018, the seminar highlighted the role of Drug-Free Workplace Programs in strengthening prevention efforts, promoting employee well-being, and reinforcing institutional responsibility. The discussions also situated workplace-based prevention within the broader framework of the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy (PADS), where prevention and shared institutional action remain key components of national policy.

Resource persons from the DDB discussed the implementation of Drug-Free Workplace Policies in the public sector, including the responsibilities of institutions in developing systems that support prevention, policy compliance, and safe working environments. The Provincial Health Office likewise presented the health and social consequences associated with dangerous drugs, emphasizing the importance of evidence-informed and health-oriented approaches in workplace prevention initiatives.

In his message, DDB Deputy Executive Director for Operations - Assistant Secretary Ferdaussi Masnar underscored the importance of collective responsibility in sustaining safe and productive workplaces, emphasizing that prevention efforts are strengthened when institutions, leadership, and personnel work together toward common goals grounded in accountability and public welfare.

The activity brought together Human Resource Managers, Supervisors, PADAC Focal Persons, Drug-Free Workplace Program Committee Members from the eleven (11) local government units of Agusan del Norte, alongside personnel from the PDEA Provincial Office, providing a venue for discussions on strengthening workplace-based prevention and institutional support mechanisms across local government offices.

As organizations continue to navigate evolving social and workplace challenges, initiatives such as this reinforce the importance of prevention-centered and health-oriented workplace programs in promoting safer and more accountable working environments.

Authorities sustained intensified ma*****na eradication operations across Benguet and Kalinga from May 10 to 16, resulting in the destruction of more than ₱6.1 million worth of ma*****na plants and products.

Based on reports from the Police Regional Office Cordillera Administrative Region (PRO CAR), anti-drug operatives conducted 14 ma*****na eradication operations in remote upland and forested areas across the Cordillera, reflecting continuing efforts to prevent the proliferation of illegal cultivation activities in the region.

These continuing operations highlight the importance of sustained coordination among enforcement agencies, local stakeholders, and communities in addressing illegal drug cultivation, particularly in geographically isolated and vulnerable areas.

Read article for more details.

Cordillera anti-drug raids wipe out ₱6.1M ma*****na in one week

By Mia Magdalena Fokno
May 17, 2026

BAGUIO CITY — Ma*****na eradication teams trekking through remote Cordillera mountains destroyed more than ₱6.1 million worth of ma*****na plants in just one week as authorities sustained intensified anti-illegal drug operations across Benguet and Kalinga.

The Police Regional Office Cordillera Administrative Region (PRO-CAR) said anti-drug operatives carried out 14 ma*****na eradication operations from May 10 to 16, targeting plantation sites hidden in upland and forested areas.

According to reports from the PRO-CAR Regional Operations Division, the weeklong operations resulted in the destruction of 30,790 fully grown ma*****na plants and the seizure of 14 kilograms of dried ma*****na stalks, leaves, and fruiting tops with a combined standard drug price estimated at ₱6.158 million.

Benguet recorded the highest number of operations, with 12 separate eradication drives leading to the destruction of 16,790 ma*****na plants and the recovery of dried ma*****na products valued at ₱3.358 million.

In Kalinga, authorities conducted two separate operations that resulted in the destruction of 14,000 fully grown ma*****na plants valued at ₱2.8 million.

The continuing operations come amid intensified anti-drug campaigns in the Cordillera, where police have recently combined mountain raids with drone-assisted surveillance and even symbolic environmental activities such as tree planting in former ma*****na cultivation sites.

PNP Chief Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. commended field units for sustaining operations against illegal cultivation activities in remote areas.

“These operations reflect our continuing commitment to eliminate illegal drug sources and protect communities from the harmful effects of prohibited substances,” Nartatez said in a statement.

He added that the police would continue intelligence-driven operations and strengthen coordination with local communities to prevent the return of illegal plantation activities.

Authorities did not report any arrests during the latest eradication operations.

Photo by Police Regional Office Cordillera FB page

The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), in its 211th Regular Board Meeting, advanced initiatives aimed at strengthening prevention, rehabilitation, and institutional coordination as part of the country’s continuing response to drug-related concerns.

Recognizing that recovery requires sustained support systems, part of the discussions focused on rehabilitation initiatives within institutional settings, including jail-based rehabilitation and therapeutic community approaches that support reintegration and long-term recovery.

Preventive education likewise remained a central priority, particularly through the continuing implementation of the National Drug Education Program and ongoing initiatives to expand access to drug education in geographically isolated and remote communities where preventive services and information may remain limited.

The meeting also moved forward Operation “Private Eye,” an initiative proposed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) that seeks to engage representatives from the academe, religious institutions, and the business sector in supporting prevention and community awareness initiatives. The initiative reflects the continuing role of schools, workplaces, faith-based institutions, and communities in promoting awareness, early intervention, and shared responsibility.

Discussions also highlighted the importance of stronger inter-agency coordination, including broader collaboration in addressing supply reduction concerns and the increasing role of digital infrastructures and coordinated information systems in supporting public service delivery and program implementation.

Preparations for the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (IDADAIT), the annual international observance held every 26 June, also formed part of the Board’s continuing coordination with partner agencies and stakeholders. Discussions likewise included the upcoming Research Conference on Drug Prevention and Control, which aims to strengthen research-informed discussions and stakeholder engagement on drug prevention and control initiatives.

The continuing campaign against ma*****na cultivation in the Cordillera Administrative Region also formed part of the discussions, including possible measures recognizing local government units and individuals supporting lawful community-based initiatives within their areas.

Across these initiatives is a continuing emphasis on building systems that are more preventive, coordinated, and responsive to the realities faced by communities.