MANILA — Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron N. Aquino on Monday led the inauguration of the enhanced training facilities at the PDEA Academy in Camp Castañeda, Tartaria, Silang, Cavite that allow the holding of two Drug Enforcement Officer Basic Course (DEOBC) classes.
Aquino said the facilities were made possible through the support of the United States government which sponsored the renovation of the classroom building, where the old one-story now became two stories.
Aside from the two classrooms, the newly-developed facilities include quadrangle annex, tent barracks, kitchen building, outdoor toilet and shower rooms, and the water distribution system improvement.
“With these facilities, we can now allow the simultaneous holding of two DEOBC classes at the Academy. In the past, the Academy can only conduct a single batch of DEOBC class, now we can conduct two classes,” Aquino pointed out.
The facilities will also enable the academy to host live-out trainings even if there is an ongoing DEOBC, where the lower floor serves as classroom for agent-trainees, while the upper floor serves as the venue for other trainings where the participants do not stay overnight at the academy.
PDEA aims to hire 1,000 agents per year under the recruitment program with a budgetary allocation of PHP100 million through congressional insertions intended for recruitment.
At present, the PDEA Academy is home to 215 agent-trainees (110 females and 105 males) who are undergoing the DEOBC Class 2017-11 training and are now almost done with their fourth month of training and just started with the fifth module. The training runs from December 12, 2017 to June 14, 2018.
It has been programmed that DEOBC Class 2018-12, composed of 184 agent-trainees, will enter the Academy at the end of the fourth month of the current DEOBC Class 2017-11.
Also on Monday, the PDEA conducted the oath-taking/opening ceremony and reception rites for the newly hired DEOBC Class 2018-12 at the PDEA Academy in Silang, Cavite.
DEOBC Class 2018-12 is composed of 184 agent-trainees, 160 males and 24 females, out of 2,406 applicants, who passed the rigid tests and examination required by the Recruitment, Selection and Placement Board (RSPB) of the agency in various localized testing centers nationwide.
Aquino and other key officers of the agency welcomed the members of the class who will undergo a six- month rigorous training at the PDEA Academy. If they passed the training, they will have the opportunity to become part of the country’s premier anti-drug law agency.
Aquino is optimistic that members of the class will be molded into principled, professional, accountable and excellence-driven individuals after their six months training.
“If they passed the six months training, these individuals will boost the government’s campaign to rid our country of illegal drugs and help realize our vision of a drug- free Philippines,” Aquino said.
The 184 agent-trainees already reported to PDEA Academy on April 11 for in-processing, oath taking, and reception. (PNA)
