A new Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Academy, a training institution dedicated to drug law enforcement and education, will soon rise in the municipality of Tanay, Rizal.
A ground-breaking ceremony marking the commencement of the construction of a premier PDEA Academy was held today (Tuesday, April 23, 2024) at the future site, an 11-hectare land in Sitio Tablon, Barangay Cuyambay, Tanay, Rizal.
Honorable Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Representative of the First District of Leyte and Speaker of the House, 19th Congress, was the Guest of Honor and Speaker during the ceremony. Other attendees include Hon. Robert Ace S. Barbers, Chairperson, House Committee on Dangerous Drugs/ District Representative Surigao del Norte, 2nd District, Hon. Romeo M. Acop, Representative 2nd District of Antipolo, Secretary Catalino S. Cuy, Chairman, Dangerous Drugs Board, Hon. Rafael A. Tanjuatco, Mayor, Tanay Rizal and other esteemed stakeholders from the House of Representatives; Provincial Government of Rizal; Local Government Unit of Tanay; representatives of other partner law enforcement and government agencies and PDEA Key Officials led by PDEA Director General Undersecretary Moro Virgilio Lazo, who played instrumental roles in bringing the project into fruition.
The site will be the permanent location of PDEA Academy, envisioned to be a center of excellence in drug law enforcement with state-of-the-art facilities devoted to education, research and training. Situated in an eco-tourism destination such as the province of Rizal, the training complex is also envisaged as an eco-friendly community enclosed with green buildings that use renewable energy and support sustainable development and environmental protection.
Apart from the recruitment and training of future drug enforcement officers, the new PDEA Academy establishes itself as an excellent provider of programs and scholarships on relevant anti-drug laws and researches; development of curricula, and implementation of appropriate training for drug law enforcers and other stakeholders.
Moreover, the infrastructure is poised to become a stamping ground for various activities such as physical conditioning and fitness exercises; military-related undertakings; combat shooting and marksmanship; and other field exercises and learning endeavors for the continuous development of all PDEA personnel.
PDEA acquired the 10-hectare expanse through a Usufructuary Agreement with the local government of Tanay, Rizal in March 2021. The issuance of a local Sangguniang Bayan Resolution granted the Agency an additional 11,572 square meters of neighboring land four months after.
The establishment of the PDEA Academy in Tanay, Rizal entails an estimated cost of ?1.56 billion spanning a five-year implementation phase (from 2022 to 2027). As a result of a Congressional Initiative in 2022, an initial amount of ?50 million was allocated to fund the Phase 1 of the project, thus paving the way for the on-going construction of a multi-purpose building, and perimeter fences with gate and guard around the property.
Thanks to congressional insertions in the 2024 budget, PDEA is set to receive an additional ?500 million intended for the site’s construction of road networks; water and drainage system; electrical power supply; and design and construction plans of priority buildings and facilities, PDEA said.
Since 2006, the PDEA Academy has temporarily occupied a meager 5,600 square meters of land inside Camp General Mariano Castañeda, Barangay Tartaria, Silang, Cavite where its flagship program – the Drug Enforcement Officers Basic Course (DEOBC), is helmed. The program is designed to mold civilians into full-fledged PDEA Agents throughout a duration of six months in-house training. On loan from the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), the patch of land served as home to the PDEA Academy for the last 18 years.
From 2006 to 2023, the PDEA Academy has produced 20 DEOBC classes and 2,319 graduate Agents, while 249 specialized courses have been conducted to 9,604 participants. Altogether, the institution was able to churned out 269 training sessions for 11,923 drug enforcement officers; administrative and technical personnel; and members of other law enforcement agencies.
The construction of a modern and well-equipped PDEA Academy seeks to cement a legacy for the administration of President Ferdinand R Marcos, Jr. It is a legacy in motion under the country’s priorities on infrastructure development and education, and beckons limitless opportunities for growth, especially in the training and development, tourism, and safety and security sectors, inside the provincial periphery of Rizal.
More importantly, the establishment of a PDEA-owned Academy is a critical investment that yields the highest return for a safer and drug-free Philippines for many generations to come.
