The Intersessional Meeting of the 68th Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND 68) in Vienna gathered Member States to assess advances in global drug policy. Convened as part of the follow-up to the 2019 Ministerial Declaration, the intersessional meetings serve as a platform for governments to exchange experiences, identify challenges, and chart pathways to accelerate the implementation of international drug policy commitments.
At this meeting, the Philippines expressed strong support for the Pledge4Action Initiative, a mechanism launched by the Commission to transform international commitments into concrete and measurable reforms.
Delivering the country’s intervention, Dangerous Drugs Board Chairperson, Secretary Oscar F. Valenzuela, emphasized that under the leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Philippines is reshaping its anti-drug campaign into one that places public health, human rights, and sustainable development at its core. He highlighted that reforms are underway to institutionalize harm prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration into the country’s policy framework, while ensuring that justice and enforcement remain firmly rooted in the rule of law.
As the policy-making and strategy-setting body, the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) is leading the review and update of the national anti-drug law. This initiative includes strengthening institutional functions, improving coordination mechanisms, and ensuring that strategic resource allocation supports a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. Secretary Valenzuela noted that these reforms will sustain momentum, deepen multi-sectoral collaboration, and equip communities with the tools to build resilience against the harms of illegal drugs.
The Philippines’ engagement in the Pledge4Action is more than a statement of intent—it reflects a strong resolve to drive reforms forward, channel resources where they are most needed, and deliver results that are seen and felt by Filipino communities.
