The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) destroys over ₱4.56 billion worth of illegal drugs, including 1,136.55 kg of solid substances and 657.13 liters of liquid, via thermal decomposition in Trece Martires, Cavite, on March 24, 2026. The event underscores the agency's commitment to transparency following the successful resolution of these cases. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN news
MANILA (2nd UPDATE) — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency defended before the House of Representatives its proposed P500-million confidential funds for 2027.
The PDEA, through its budget sponsor Marikina 1st District Rep. Marcelino Teodoro said that it received the same amount of confidential funds in 2025 and in 2026.
He said that 73.88% or 1,471 of 1,991 drug-related information reports resulted in anti-drug operations.
For 2026, PDEA arrested 173 personalities or more than the 10% target for bringing down drug personalities.
He said PDEA was able to arrest 2,368 of 2,819 high-value targets on its list, or an 84-percent accomplishment rate against a target of 60 percent.
PDEA also conducted 696 high-impact operations, exceeding a target of 500.
To avoid duplication with other law enforcement agencies, the PDEA has a “supply reduction committee”, composed of representatives from the agency, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The proposed 2027 budget for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency total P4.419 billion, higher than this year’s P4.372-billion appropriation.
Teodoro said the number of drug users in the country dropped to 1.47 million in 2023 from 1.67 million in 2019, according to the Dangerous Drugs Board, citing results from the National Household Survey.
The number of drug users in the Philippines dropped to 1.47 million in 2023 from 1.67 million in 2019, according to the Dangerous Drugs Board, citing the National Household Survey.
“May 16.6 percent ang drop na nangyari o pagbaba sa current drug use prevalence na tinatawag,” Teodoro said.
'SAKIT PO ITO'
But he admitted one of the major challenges is access to treatment and rehabilitation, which should be addressed by the proposed 2027 budget for the agency.
Of the proposed P526.5 million budget for the Dangerous Drugs Board next year, P169.18 million is allocated for the Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Program, including the P111.694 million for policy formulation, surveys, research and studies.
P32.845 million is allocated for advocacy and information programs, and P24.643 million for capacity building.
DDB’s proposed 2027 budget is around 12% lower than its funding for the current year.
Teodoro said investments in research and policy will help government determine where treatment and community-based programs are most needed, where prevention efforts should be strengthened, and which interventions are producing results.
“Hindi ho natin ipinagwawalang bahala ‘yung 1.4 million na ‘yun, dahil isang milyon pa ring Pilipino ‘yun. Isang milyong pamilya pa rin ang apektado. We recognize the fact that treatment should be readily, immediately, humanely accessible to every Filipino… Ang tingin namin ‘yun ang malaking problema ngayon: access to treatment and rehabilitation… There should be priority in terms of the budget of the department of health. Kasi yung treatment, yun ang nagiging malaking problema. Hindi pa natin naifafactor in yung recurring, yung bumabalik, dahil sakit nga po ito,” Teodoro said.
“Almost 40 percent of the budget of the DDB is allocated for the research and survey, so we can establish the proper data,” he added.
The Philippine Anti-Illegal Drug Strategy (PADS) from the Duterte administration is currently under review and is expected to be out within the year.
“Kasulukyan po, ‘yung PADS natin ay nire-review. Nasa Presidential Management Staff ito for review and consideration at naghihintay tayo ng enhanced PADS based on the executive order, dahil nagbago ang panahon at problema," he said.
"Tulad ngayon, ang isang strategy pong kailangan ay hindi na ito dapat street level drugs na lamang o kaya individual basis, kundi ito ay naging transnational na ‘yung shipment ng drugs coming outside of the country going into and being distributed. There's an observation that it's already a syndicate operating the drug distribution of illegal drugs. somebody will finance it. And there will be in charge, different organizations and individuals, in the selling and distribution,” Teodoro added.
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