The Philippine government has told the United Nations (UN) that there has been a drop in illegal drugs use in the country during the administration of President Marcos.

During the 68th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs held in Vienna, Austria, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said: “The 2023 National Survey on Drug Abuse in the Philippines has shown a decline in drug use prevalence, with the number of drug users decreasing from 1.67 million in 2019 to 1.47 million in 2023."

In a press briefer, the DOJ said that Secretary Remulla assured the UN "that the Philippines remains committed in continuing the fight against illegal drugs."

"As the Philippines celebrates its 80 years of partnership with the UN as one of its founding members, we reiterate our commitment to multilateralism and the UN as the most vital platform for international cooperation to tackle our common challenges, including the world drug problem,” Remula said.

Remulla leads the Philippine delegation attending the event which started last March 10 and will conclude on March 14.

He told the UN that the Marcos administration has been implementing a human rights-based and public health-centered approach in dealing with the drug problem in the country.

He stressed that prevention, education and having a comprehensive rehabilitation program for drugs dependent individuals are the best ways to address the illegal drug problem.

"The results of all these efforts are encouraging,” he assured.

At the same time, Remulla told the UN that the Philippine government has been conducting an executive review of the country’s drug policies.

While this is ongoing, he said the government has been continuously employing a comprehensive "whole-of-nation" approach, integrating law enforcement, socio-economic, and health interventions to create an effective and unified response against dangerous drugs.