U.S. Embassy in the
Philippines

The United States has partnered with Philippine government agencies and law enforcement officials for many years to reduce drug demand, provide training on anti-narcotics techniques, and enhance the criminal justice sector’s ability to handle drug cases.

Support for Drug Demand Reduction

• Since 2017, the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) has budgeted more than $5,450,000 for drug demand reduction (DDR) programs in the Philippines. These programs reduce substance abuse through prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and policy development. INL DDR programs include Universal Treatment Curriculum training for justice sector officials, evidence-based prevention education programs for law enforcement, and support for the Philippines chapter of the International Society of Substance Abuse Professionals. This funding complements previously established assistance to combat transnational interdiction, ongoing since 2012.
• USAID’s $15,000,000, five-year, RenewHealth: Expanding Access to Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation (CBDR) project works in partnership with Philippine government agencies to improve the quality of community-based drug rehabilitation and recovery programs and reduce drug dependence. RenewHealth will enable healthy behaviors and increase demand for CBDR services; enhance the quality of CBDR services; and strengthen the policies and systems for sustainable CBDR service delivery. To date, USAID has trained 500 CBDR community facilitators from General Santos City, Naga City, Municipality of Tigaon in Camarines Sur, Cagayan de Oro City, and various project sites in the National Capital Region, bolstering their capacity to provide CBDR services to persons who use drugs.

Anti-Narcotics and Law Enforcement Training

• The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Manila Country Office, and implementing partners supported by INL funding, provide training on a range of narcotics-related topics: drug interdiction, evidence processing, interview techniques, chemical diversion investigations, clandestine laboratory investigations, and other specialized narcotics-related topics.
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation, through its Legal Attaché in Manila, regularly shares knowledge and capabilities, and provides training on a range of law enforcement best practices, including interviewing techniques, evidence collection, and leadership training.
• The United States collaborated with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in 2013 to establish the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG). The United States continues to support this counter-narcotics unit through logistics, operational, intelligence, and capacity-building activities. In late 2020, INL donated drug detection and analysis devices to PDEA and Bureau of Customs airport and seaport interdiction units totaling $375,000.

Judicial and Criminal Justice Assistance

• The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, through the Manila Country Office, closely liaises with local law enforcement counterparts, conducts bilateral and multilateral investigations, and collects and disseminates drug-related information.

International Engagement

• The U.S. government, through the Drug Enforcement Administration, also hosts and invites its Philippine law Enforcement partners to the International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC) annually. IDEC is a global forum that provides an opportunity for senior drug law enforcement officials to meet, deliberate, and determine the most effective strategies to attack and defeat criminal drug trafficking organizations.
• INL supported law enforcement agency participation in annual international conferences such as the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) Global Conference, the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) Mid-Year Training Institute, and Women in Policing Conferences. These forums have provided excellent opportunities for participants to exchange and develop best practices, and promote global and regional cooperation.

Updated March 31, 2021