BBM’s drug campaign BIDA launched

What we need is to make the whole country help. Let’s address the problem at its grassroots level.

The administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Saturday officially launched its flagship drug war campaign focusing on the “grassroots level.”

Dubbed “Buhay Ay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan” or BIDA, the Department of the Interior and Local Government led the opening of the new anti-narcotics drive at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City.

“The drug problem is like a tree. Our police, we have our generals, colonels, PDEA, Dangerous Drugs Board, NBI, they did nothing but make an arrest… but what is happening? Those who have been arrested got only replaced,” Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said.

“What we need is to make the whole country help. Let’s address the problem at its grassroots level. We cannot just depend on the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to solve the drug problem because all of us are affected,” he added.

The DILG described BIDA as a “more holistic campaign against illegal drugs to reduce drug demand in communities.”

“It underscores the government’s continued intensity in the war against drugs within the framework of the law, with respect for human rights, and complemented by rehabilitation and socioeconomic development.”

Abalos said the new campaign aims to encourage all local government units and barangays in the country to create their respective anti-drug plan of action which must be submitted by the end of December this year for approval by January to May 2023.