The city government of San Pedro, Laguna has found an invaluable new asset in its intensified campaign against illegal drugs: delivery riders.
Last June 23, the San Pedro City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC), along with officials from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) led the launch of the United Network Alliance of Riders in Drug Enforcement (UNA-RIDE) at the San Pedro City Hall.
The brainchild of the “Kapehan sa San Pedro Laban sa Ilegal na Droga” that was held last year, the UNA-RIDE program aims to tap into the potential value of delivery riders, particularly motorcycle-riding couriers, in reporting cases of suspected illegal drug trades in San Pedro City.
“Doon po sa kapehan ay napag-usapan na po namin kung ano pa po ang pwede nating gawin para palakasin ang ating kampanya kontra iligal na droga. Doon po namin naisipan, paano naman po kaya kung i-involve po natin yung mga courier companies?” Fatima Alon, DILG Local Government Operations Officer for San Pedro City, told OpinYon Laguna.
She added that involving courier companies in their anti-illegal drugs campaign is a logical choice, particularly as there have been several incidents in the past of delivery riders becoming unwitting couriers of illicit goods.
The initiative aims not only to prevent the use of legitimate courier companies to traffic illegal drugs but also enable these companies to report such incidents to the CADAC and the authorities.
“Sa simula po, ipapatawag po natin yung mga manager ng mga courier companies, and especially po yung mga nagma-manage ng tracking systems nila, for orientation,” Alon explained.
“Sa orientation po na ito, maipapakita po natin sa kanila kung paano made-detect yung mga kahina-hinalang package, pati na po kung ano po ang gagawin kapag may nakita silang kaduda-dudang tao na pwede nilang i-report.”
Alon also emphasized that the creation of UNA RIDE aims to foster a culture of community participation and encourage ordinary citizens to become active in the national government’s campaign against illegal drugs.
This is important, she said, given the success of the San Pedro Against Drug Abuse (SPADA) program, which encourages ordinary San Pedrenses to report suspected illegal drugs cases to the CADAC.
“Katunayan po ay marami pong mga nagre-report na mga individuals sa ating SPADA hotline. May mga referral na rin po kaming nagagawa, papunta sa barangay for intervention, papunta sa PNP para tingnan ng intel officers nila kung verified ba,” she recounted.
(Photo courtesy of the San Pedro City Public Affairs and Information Office)
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