Abalos to LGUs: Assist Comelec in removing unlawful campaign materials during BSKE election period

As the election period for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Election (BSKE) will start on August 28, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos today urged local government units (LGUs) to assist the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in looking out for campaign materials violating election laws. In DILG Memorandum Circular 2023-105, Abalos said the DILG, LGUs, and other government agencies are deputized by Comelec thru its Resolution No. 10924 to aid the election body in removing and tearing down unlawful election propaganda materials. In the same DILG directive, Abalos also enjoined LGUs to provide Comelec with the necessary equipment for the removal of unlawful election materials; designate LGU personnel who will assist Comelec in the campaign; issue Executive Order for the designation of LGU personnel/Barangay Tanods and provide them with the necessary assistance to perform their role; and direct the designated personnel to coordinate with the Election Officer before tearing down of unlawful election materials. Section 240 of Comelec Resolution No. 10924 states that it is unlawful to print, publish, post, and distribute any form of campaign materials that do not bear the name of the payor or candidate who will benefit from the election propaganda printed or aired. Posting, displaying, or exhibiting any election material outside of authorized common poster areas, in public places, or in private properties without the consent of the owner thereof is likewise prohibited. The BSKE are scheduled on October 30, while the election period will run from August 28 until November 29. The campaign period is on October 19 to 28. ###

DILG’s BIDA PROGRAM WINS GOV MEDIA AWARD

The Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) Program wins the international Government Media Awards for the National Social Welfare Initiative of the Year category in Singapore. The Gov Media Awards recognizes the most outstanding government projects and initiatives in the Asian region and is open to both government departments and organizations, and companies supplying services or solutions to government projects. Winning the prestigious award for the Philippines, the BIDA program, established through DILG Memorandum Circular 2023-025, is a holistic approach to counter the proliferation of illegal and dangerous drugs and aims to reduce drug demand and supply by empowering communities. It is part of the prevention and promotion activities anchored on the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy (PADS). DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos, who received the award for the Philippines, said that the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign has taken a new shift through the BIDA program as it is focused more on drug demand and supply reduction with the help of BIDA advocates and the different sectors of society. “Hindi biro at mabigat ang problema natin sa iligal na droga kaya kailangang kumilos ang lahat para masugpo ito. Sa pamamagitan ng BIDA program, lahat tayo ay tulong-tulong kasama ang PNP, PDEA, NBI at iba pang autoridad,” he said. Launched across the country on November 2022 through various health and wellness events, BIDA gathered nearly a million participants supporting the program in various activities nationwide such as fun runs, service caravans, seminars, sportsfest, tree planting, clean-up drive and barangay programs. An estimated 31,000 stakeholders from various national government agencies, local government units, the private sector, faith-based sector, and civil society organizations have so far expressed support for the program. To date, almost all regions (13 out of 16) have successfully conducted their BIDA program launch and more will be holding their BIDA activities throughout the year. Thirty-three (33) private organizations likewise signed a Memorandum of Undertaking (MOU) and pledged their support to the BIDA program through various modalities as the DILG launched the BIDA Workplace advocating for the implementation of the drug-free workplace in the private sector. Highlighting the whole-of-society strategy in addressing the drug menace, a partnership between the DILG and the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and Premier Volleyball League (PVL) was forged to intensify the information campaign against illegal drugs through the different sports leagues. The campaign and advocacy efforts also complement the successfully conducted 14 drug-related operations of the Philippine National Police, from January to April 2023 alone resulting in the bust of 19 drug personalities and the confiscation of P10-billion (~183M USD)-worth of illegal drugs. The BIDA program also highlights the essence of the rehabilitation of persons who use drugs (PWUDs) as more than half of the barangays and almost all municipalities and cities have already established their community-based drug rehabilitation programs (CBDRP). As of December 2022, nearly a million drug surrenderers have participated in these programs. In strengthening the involvement of LGUs in the BIDA program, the formulation of LGUs’ Local Anti-Drug Plan of Action (LADPA) also underscores the need to harmonize, systematize, and provide a budget allocation for all anti-illegal drug initiatives at the local level. Following the launch of the program, a total of 343 LGUs have already passed resolutions in the inclusion of the BIDA program in their respective LADPAs. ###

DILG: 4.7 million individuals benefitting from anti-poverty projects in aid of PBBM’s anti-poverty reduction agenda

In support of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s target to significantly reduce poverty during his term, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said around 1.69 million individuals are beneficiaries of 256 completed, 236 ongoing, and 575 under procurement projects funded from the Conditional Matching Grant for Provinces and Financial Assistance to LGUs. In addition, DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos said around 3 million individuals are also benefitting from the completion of 2,778 farm-to-market roads, water and sanitation systems, health stations, school buildings, rural electrification, other infrastructure projects in geographically isolated and disadvantaged barangays under the Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP) since 2021. The SBDP is a program to help address development gaps in Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) cleared barangays. “We continue to carry out these transformative programs to ensure the smooth and efficient delivery of social services and alleviate the plight of our underprivileged constituents,” Abalos said. He assured that the DILG will remain committed to actively contribute to the attainment of the President’s 8-point socio-economic agenda, particularly in the administration’s poverty reduction initiatives. ###

DILG supports ‘Kadiwa ng Pangulo’ as catalyst of PBBM’s food security goal

In support of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s goal of ensuring food security, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said it will continue to implement policies and programs supporting the “Kadiwa ng Pangulo” program to make food accessible and affordable to all Filipinos. In a post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) forum on Tuesday, the DILG said it will continue to intensify engagements between national and local governments to put up regular Kadiwa Centers in different localities to reach more people. “The Kadiwa program is an important measure that quickly responds to food insecurity and is also a useful measure to introduce high-nutrient foods to malnourished populations. That is why the DILG, in partnership with the local government units (LGUs) and concerned national government agencies (NGAs), aims to bring this initiative down to our communities so we will be able to reach more Filipinos, especially the poor,” DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos said. He also urged all local chief executives to establish Kadiwa stalls in their barangays and seek the cooperation of civil society organizations and the private sector to employ a “whole-of-nation” approach to ensuring food security. The Kadiwa Program is a farm-to-consumer market chain program that eliminates intermediaries, allowing local producers to sell directly to consumers at affordable prices. HAPAG sa Barangay Project Further, the DILG reported that its Halina’t Magtanim ng Prutas at Gulay (HAPAG) sa Barangay Project has so far allocated over 881 hectares of land for community gardening in 19,188 barangays nationwide. Launched early this year, the HAPAG sa Barangay Project encourages barangays and households to produce fresh, healthy, and affordable fruits and vegetables from their backyards and spaces through the establishment of community gardens in vacant and unused areas of their respective barangays. “The DILG will remain a staunch supporter of the overarching goals of the Marcos administration in building an inclusive society where no one is hungry and where Filipinos live long and healthy lives,” the DILG Chief stressed. ###

As PBBM ushers in “Bagong Pilipinas”, DILG vows continued campaign vs drugs, erring cops

To help President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. usher in a “Bagong Pilipinas”, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) vowed to maintain the intensity of its peace and order efforts, especially the campaign against illegal drugs and the purge against scalawags of the Philippine National Police (PNP). DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos said the Department will remain steadfast in upholding the rule of law to strengthen the foundation of the country’s transformation. “Katulad ng sinabi ng ating Mahal na Pangulo, dumating na ang Bagong Pilipinas, at asahan ninyong mas magiging maigting ang ating kampanya upang panatilihin ang kapayapaan at kaayusan sa bansa na siyang gagabay sa patuloy nating pagsulong,” Abalos said. In his second State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Marcos declared that the campaign against illegal drugs, which has “taken on a new face”, will continue, citing the DILG’s Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) Program that focuses on the areas of education, livelihood, rehabilitation, health, and wellness in addressing the drug problem. The President likewise stressed the government’s hard-nosed stance against unscrupulous law enforcers who have been involved in the illegal drug trade. “We will not tolerate scalawags in the police ranks. The President has already accepted the resignations of 18 police officers due to their involvement in illegal drug activities. But make no mistake about it. Hindi tayo diyan natatapos. Magpapatuloy ang ating paglilinis sa hanay ng PNP,” Abalos said. The DILG Chief likewise expressed the Department’s full support in the plans of the Marcos administration to improve the economy, bring jobs to Filipinos, improve the ease of doing business, boost agricultural production, ensure food security, and continue social programs for the poor and the vulnerable. Abalos also emphasized support for the “Kadiwa ng Pangulo” program, which according to him, will not only help ensure food security but will also address stunting and malnutrition as it provides affordable and nutritious food to the public. Lastly, the Secretary also vowed to continue to capacitate LGUs to aid the country’s transformation to a new and better Philippines, through meaningful and calibrated devolution of national government functions to local governments. “We have heard the comprehensive report of the President, and the DILG will continue to carry out its mandate and deliver quality public service to help him attain his goals for a prosperous, peaceful, and resilient Philippines,” Abalos said. ###