Identifying emerging trends, strengthening cooperation, and bridging service gaps are shared responsibilities that define the global effort against substance use. In this context, the Philippines, through the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), participated in the Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme National Secretariats Meeting 2026 (CPDAP NSM 2026) held in Bali, Indonesia.
Convened under the theme “Enhancing Regional Cooperation for Effective and Inclusive Drug Use Responses,” the meeting brought together national authorities, heads of drug control agencies, and technical focal points from across Asia and the Pacific. It served as a platform to examine evolving drug use patterns, exchange national strategies, identify gaps in services, and advance areas for regional and international collaboration.
The Philippine delegation was led by DDB Executive Director – Undersecretary Earl Saavedra, who delivered the country’s opening remarks before counterparts from the Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme(CPDAP) and the National Narcotics Board (BNN) of Indonesia, alongside heads of national drug control agencies and focal points from member countries.
In his intervention, Undersecretary Saavedra articulated the country’s comprehensive and balanced approach, anchored on three interconnected pillars: drug supply reduction, drug demand reduction, and health, social, and developmental services. These were presented not as separate efforts, but as coordinated actions that together shape how the Philippines addresses both the causes and consequences of drug use.
The statement also emphasized that while enforcement remains necessary to prevent the entry and circulation of illegal drugs, equal importance is placed on prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration. This reflects the Philippines’ continuing shift toward a health-centered and human rights-based framework, where policies are guided not only by effectiveness, but by the protection of dignity and the rule of law.
Within a meeting convened to strengthen regional cooperation and align responses to emerging drug trends, the Philippine position reinforced a clear message, sustainable outcomes depend on balance, and balance requires coordination across institutions, sectors, and countries.
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