(Eagle News)– Malacañang on Friday emphasized that the drug problem in the country is not just a national security threat but also a public health issue.
“The government is very, very aware and is very concerned that drugs are not just a national security issue but also a public health issue,” Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a press briefing inside the Palace.
According to Abella, the additional drug rehabilitation centers and anti-poverty programs are in the works to intensify the administration’s efforts to fight drugs.
A 10-hectare land in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija would be developed into rehabilitation centers. There are also plans to build a new penitentiary inside the camp.
Abella also pointed out how the government prioritizes the poor in their campaign against illegal drugs.
“You know, the 10-point economic program, the social development progam. If you study it and look at it, it’s so pro-poor. There’s a lot of efforts going into creation of more jobs. And as you very well know, it’s not a magic wand, that you know… There’s only been less than 100 days. So, but it’s being attended to now,” he said.
This statement also served as Abella’s response to the witnesses at the Senate inquiry who reasoned poverty in their participation in the illegal drugs trade.
