PROVINCE OF CAGAYAN – The Cagayan Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC), Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC), and Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) have deployed additional Special Action Committees (SAC) to further strengthen the peace-building and public safety efforts in the province.
As agreed during its 2nd Quarter joint meeting on May 12, 2021, the aforesaid bodies have decided to create and deploy the special force on the protection of refugees and stateless persons, and designate the Special Drug Education Center (SDEC) team as SAC.
Guided by DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2020-153, the SAC on refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless persons, collectively termed as Persons of Concern, will institutionalize the ad-hoc assistance being extended by the LGUs in accordance with the Philippines’ commitment under international law and treaty obligation to ensure that said individuals in the country will have fair and equal access to assistance, protection, and durable solutions at all times. During the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva, Switzerland on December 17-18, 2019 and the High Level Segment on Statelessness held on the same year, the Philippines pledged to enhance its policy, legal, and operational frameworks for refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless persons.
Meanwhile, the SDEC team which was created in 2019 by virtue of Administrative Order No. 06 by Governor Manuel N. Mamba, was designated as Special Action Team under the PPOC and PADAC. It was tasked to conduct drug abuse prevention programs and activities with the end view of educating the out-of-school youth and street children in the component city and municipalities of the Province of Cagayan, especially on the pernicious and precarious effects of illegal drugs.
The provincial body likewise directed its city and municipal counterparts to create similar committees to solidify the holistic approach in maintaining peace and order and public safety in the province.
Currently, there are seven (7) Special Action Committees in Cagayan, namely SAC on Anti-Insurgency and Preventing Violent Extremism, SAC on Public Safety, SAC on Anti-Criminality, SAC on Retooled Community Support Program, Task Force on COVID-19, SAC on Refugees, Asylum, Seekers, and Stateless Persons, and the SDEC Team. (SOURCE: LGOO II RENZ ANGELO P. UMAMBONG)
