Research collaboration and knowledge exchange among ASEAN Member States took center stage during the 30th ASEAN Senior Officials on Drug Matters (ASOD) Working Group on Research, ASEAN’s technical platform for advancing scientific cooperation and evidence-based responses to the region’s evolving drug situation. Chaired by ASOD-Singapore, this year’s meeting featured country presentations from ASEAN Member States, providing updates on national developments, emerging priorities, and opportunities for future cooperation.
Representing the Philippines, the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), as the country’s policy-making and strategy-formulating body on drug abuse prevention and control and the lead agency for developing and promoting research in the sector, presented the country’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the evidence base for drug policy and program development. The Philippine delegation was composed of Ms. Joan Marie Sison, Chief of the Management Information Systems Division; Ms. Ella Marie Dimaculangan-Repomanta, Chief of the Preventive Education, Training and Information Division; and Mr. John Rey Alvior, Head of the Research Section of the Policy Studies, Research, and Statistics Division.
A key highlight of the Philippine presentation was the planned 2027 National Drug Use Prevalence Survey, which will build on the 2023 National Household Survey on the Patterns and Trends of Drug Use. While retaining its face-to-face, computer-assisted interview methodology, the survey will expand its sample size and geographic coverage, broaden its scope by including gambling as a risk behavior alongside smoking, drinking, and drug use, and enhance the assessment of respondents’ socioeconomic status through household income, assets, and perceived social class. These refinements are expected to generate more comprehensive and representative data to support the development, implementation, and evaluation of drug abuse prevention and control policies and programs.
The Philippine delegation also highlighted the DDB Saliksik 2026: National Research Conference on Drug Abuse Prevention and Control, which brought together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and development partners to present studies spanning preventive education, addiction medicine, chemistry and pharmacology, social sciences, public safety, and alternative development. Complementing these efforts were updates on ongoing collaborative studies on new psychoactive substances, hair follicle drug testing, and the evaluation of prevention systems, demonstrating the country’s continued commitment to advancing research on emerging and priority concerns in drug abuse prevention and control.
Country presentations from other ASEAN Member States likewise showcased their respective initiatives, underscoring the region’s shared commitment to strengthening research capacity, improving data quality and utilization, and addressing evolving drug challenges through science-based approaches. The exchange of experiences enabled delegates to identify common priorities, share good practices, and explore opportunities for deeper regional collaboration.
The meeting concluded with ASEAN Member States identifying priority areas for future regional cooperation on research, including strengthened research partnerships, knowledge exchange, and collaborative initiatives in support of the ASEAN Work Plan on Securing Communities Against Illicit Drugs.
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