US embassy convenes anti-drug abuse conference

MANILA, Philippines — The United States embassy in Manila yesterday convened the fourth national conference of the Association of Anti-Drug Abuse Coalitions of the Philippines.

AADAC is a non-profit umbrella organization of community level anti-drug abuse coalitions, which serves as a partner of local and national governments on drug prevention and advocacy.

“AADAC brings together several sectors of society – law enforcement, health, education, youth, civil society, business, academicians and researchers, faith-based groups as well as  policy-making bodies,” said Kelia Cummins, director of the embassy’s Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

“This interdisciplinary collaboration and intersectional cooperation helps sustain programs and foster policies that facilitate quality of life changes for persons who use drugs, their families and the community,” Cummins added.

The conference provided the coalition and independent members a platform to enhance and implement evidence-based drug prevention approaches relevant to the needs of local communities.

The embassy’s support is part of the INL’s broader drug demand reduction program in the Philippines, designed to improve awareness, augment use of preventive measures and engage multi-sectoral stakeholders in recovery and reintegration efforts for persons with substance use disorder.

The conference was held in partnership with the Dangerous Drugs Board and Department of the Interior and Local Government.