The Iloilo Provincial Government is stepping up its campaign against illegal drugs with the deployment of newly trained narcotics detection dogs that will help secure the province’s ports and intercept the entry of illegal substances.
The initiative comes after the completion of the province’s first Local Government Unit-led Narcotics Detection Dog and Handlers Course in the Visayas, a six-month specialized training program funded by the provincial government.
The program trained 26 K9 dogs acquired by the Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO) and various municipalities, along with 26 police personnel who underwent intensive instruction in narcotics detection, canine handling, and veterinary care.
The 180-day training began on Jan. 15 and will conclude on July 6. However, four of the 26 dogs did not complete the course after failing to meet the required standards.
Conducted in accordance with national training standards, the course was facilitated by IPPO-trained K9 handlers with technical support from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
The provincial government allocated PHP3.8 million for the program, which Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. described as a strategic investment in strengthening border security and curbing the entry of illegal drugs into Iloilo.
The trained K9 units will be deployed at the province’s major ports and seaports, where they will serve as an alternative screening measure in the absence of X-ray inspection systems.
“Since we cannot have X-ray inspection in ports, this is what we are trying to do,” Defensor said.
The governor said the K9 program forms part of the province’s broader strategy to prevent illegal drugs from reaching local communities through tighter border control and enhanced law enforcement capabilities.
The initiative is anchored on Executive Order No. 111, which implements the provincial government’s 4KForMoRProGRes framework aimed at institutionalizing community action for peace, public order, and national development.
It also complements Provincial Ordinance No. 2024-314, which mandates strengthened security measures and stricter border controls in ports, coastal barangays, and other potential entry points for illegal drugs.IMT
