The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Thursday said it has started the training of 61 agent-trainees for Drug Enforcement Officers Basic Course (DEOBC) in its academy in Camp Castaňeda, Silang, Cavite.

The DEOBC Class 2022-20 is composed of 41 males and 20 females who took their oath and underwent reception on Wednesday, marking the beginning of their six-month regimented training as drug enforcement officers.

The hiring of DEOBC Class 2022-20 started on March 2, 2020 wherein a total of 1,380 applicants applied. They took qualifying and neuro-psychological examinations simultaneously held week-long in 16 testing centers nationwide

“For the first time, the neuro-psychological examinations for entry-level DEOs were held in-house and online. All four major stages of the examination were made simultaneous and regionalized, thus bringing the recruitment accessible to all applicants,” PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva said in a statement.

After undergoing neuro-psychological examination, qualifiers went through medical and dental examination, physical fitness test, and panel interview.

“The continuous hiring of DEOs will boost the government’s efforts in the national anti-drug campaign, and ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program (BDCP) on a nationwide scale,” Villanueva said.

The PDEA Drug Enforcement Officers Basic Course comprises basic management and leadership, communication enhancement skills, community-based anti-illegal drug advocacy, legal studies, anti-illegal drug intelligence and tactics, interdiction operations and investigation, and other non-academic activities. (PNA)