THE ILOILO City Police Office’s recent achievements in the fight against illegal drugs, including significant shabu recoveries ahead of the Dinagyang Festival, are praiseworthy. These efforts show the dedication of law enforcement in safeguarding the city’s premier cultural celebration. However, the fight against illegal drugs must not wane once the festival lights dim and the revelry subsides.
High-profile events like the Dinagyang Festival inevitably draw public and police attention, prompting intensified operations. While this is necessary to ensure a safe celebration, it also reveals an uncomfortable reality: the drug trade in Iloilo City is not a seasonal problem. The significant drug seizures in recent weeks, including three kilos of shabu since January, reminds us that illegal drugs are a year-round threat.
To address this challenge effectively, anti-drug operations must go beyond event-driven surges. Consistency and sustainability are key. A strategy that prioritizes continuous enforcement, robust intelligence gathering, and community engagement is important to dismantling drug networks that thrive on communities’ vulnerabilities.
The periodic intensification of police efforts during festivals, while effective in the short term, risks creating an ebb-and-flow dynamic in enforcement. Drug syndicates are adaptable and opportunistic, often exploiting periods of lax enforcement to rebuild their networks. This underlines the need for a sustained campaign that disrupts these cycles and maintains pressure on illegal drug operators throughout the year.
Equally important is addressing the root causes of the drug problem. This requires a holistic approach that combines enforcement with education, rehabilitation, and community-based initiatives. Strengthening public awareness about the dangers of drug use, providing support for recovering addicts, and empowering communities to resist the lure of illegal drugs are critical components of a long-term solution.
Local government units, meanwhile must continuously allocate resources to anti-drug programs, support rehabilitation facilities, and forge partnerships with civil society to amplify the impact of law enforcement efforts. Sustaining the fight against illegal drugs demands an all-hands-on-deck approach, where every sector contributes to building a drug-free community.
The Dinagyang Festival showcases Iloilo City’s cultural pride and resilience, but its success should not come at the cost of complacency once the celebrations are over. The fight against illegal drugs is not a sprint; it is a marathon that requires commitment and vigilance. Let us ensure that it remains a top priority — not just during festivals, but every single day.
