Sen. Lacson sponsored the proposed PhP553.661-million budget of the Dangerous Drugs Board. The proposed 2020 budget of the DDB is lower than the 2019 budget due to, among other factors, the non-recurring funding for the nationwide survey on the extent of drug abuse in the Philippines.
Lacson also sponsored the PhP2.480-billion budget of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, higher than the current year’s budget.
QUOTES and NOTES:
Breakdown of the DDB and PDEA’s 2020 Budgets:
The proposed appropriation for the DDB is P553.661M. From P283.006M in the NEP, it was increased under GAB as transmitted by House to P533.6M. The Senate added another P20M to augment fund for program monitoring and evaluation of the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drug Strategy (PADS).
While the Senate Finance Subcommittee C proposed adding P200M to support the institutionalization of PADS, the mother committee adopted only P20 million.
Meanwhile, the proposed appropriation of the PDEA is P2.480B, from P2.380B in the NEP and GAB.
Drug survey, information portal:
Field work for the drug survey will commence first week of December, with data gathering to immediately follow. This may take 1-2 weeks where field workers can collate data, and announce the results first quarter of 2020.
Meanwhile, Sen. Lacson said the DDB continues to improve the system of its drug information portal, which disseminates knowledge of the anti-drug campaign.
When asked to assess the DDB’s drug abuse and prevention program on a scale of 1 to 10, Sen. Lacson gave it an ‘8.’
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