PDEA asks for ₱255M for 2024 to fund construction of its academy in Tanay

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 20) —The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Wednesday called for a multiyear appropriation, including ₱255 million in 2024, to fund the construction of its academy in Tanay, Rizal.

PDEA Director-General Moro Lazo told a Senate subcommittee hearing on the agency's proposed 2024 budget that the academy will be built on PDEA's 11-hectare property in Tanay. The total budget for the project is over

₱1.562 billion for phase one in 2022 to phase four in 2026.

"Now, we are proposing na sana magkaroon ng multiyear appropriations para ma-realize iyong construction ng academy. And for this year, we are proposing ₱255,911,000 to fund the road networks that have to be constructed inside so that materials can be brought in," Lazo added.

[Translation: Now, we are proposing and hoping that we can have multi-year appropriations to fully realize the construction of the academy.]

The anti- illegal drugs body said only ₱50 million has so far been released for the construction of academy's fencing. PDEA's proposed funding for 2024 will be for the project's second phase or the engineering plans of utilities, planning of primary buildings, and construction of utilities and grounds.

"We are 21 years old already, but still we don’t have our own academy where we can train new agents and retrain our people," Lazon said.

He also said the PDEA has only been relying on the facilities of the National Police Academy.

"It will be helpful for us as far as the finances are concerned. Instead of us getting the services of hotels to conduct our seminars and training, we will now have our own academy to do our in-house courses," he added.

Sen. Bato Dela Rosa, who presided over the Senate finance subcommitte C, approved the proposed budget of the PDEA for 2024 amounting to ₱3,354,484,000.