MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the conduct of a “Nationwide Survey to Determine Drug Abuse Prevalence” every 3 years as part of the Philippine Anti-illegal Drugs Strategy (PADS) to be implemented by all government agencies, state-run schools, and government corporations.

Executive Order 66, signed by Duterte on Monday, October 29, seeks to institutionalize the PADS, and orders all government instrumentalities to craft their own anti-illegal drugs plan relative to the strategy.

The Philippine Statisics Authority is ordered to assist the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) in conducting this survey. 

The PADS is an existing comprehensive plan from the DDB to combat prohibited drugs and their precursors. It’s an updated version of the National Anti-Drug Plan of Action 2015 to 2020.

The EO states that all government offices and local government units are ordered to conduct “Authorized Drug Testing” for all their officials and employees and formulate a Drug-Free Workplace Program.

The DDB is the lead agency in implementing the PADS.

Government offices, agencies, state-run universities and colleges, and government-owned and controlled corporations have to submit their own plans complementing the PADS 60 days within the EO’s effectivity.

The DDB will check on the compliance of government offices to the PADS. – Rappler.com