EDITORIAL - Rewarding anti-drug effort in a practical way

If the intention of the Capitol in recognizing different local governments in the province over their efforts in waging war on illegal drugs is to inspire and motivate them, then there are more effective, practical, and meaningful ways of doing so than merely issuing testaments that run a real danger of getting overtaken by events as the war progresses.

For in case it has not occurred to the Capitol, the war against illegal drugs is just beginning. The effort has barely even scratched the surface. The war is not expected to end anytime soon. Everybody is in it for the long haul. In other words, it is simply too early in the game to start patting some shoulders. If there is any good work that needs to be recognized, let it be a recognition that makes sense.

For example, if a town or city in the province has been getting much headway in its war on illegal drugs, it might serve the interest of the war on drugs for Capitol, if it is truly in a giving mood, to provide material assistance to that town or city for use in the war itself or for some other program needing assistance. That way, the concerned town or city realizes the value of effort by the reality of a good return.

Perhaps Capitol can provide cash assistance to badly needed health programs in exchange for its aggressive effort against drugs. Or it can introduce training programs that can help residents lead more productive lives. It can lend vital pieces of heavy equipment needed for the delivery of public services. All of these will mean so much more than mere citations to put on some table or hang upon some wall.

Nothing can be more impractical than such citations because they do not attest to something with finality, meaning what is being said about a town or city may no longer be true by the time the morrow comes. Things change pretty quickly after all in this day and age. Sometimes, hardly have the words left the mouth than there is a need to eat them back again.

So let this nonsense about this or that town or city topping the illegal drug effort stop once and for all. It means absolutely nothing in a war that is in fact getting pretty much tougher to fight every day. Let us not hoodwink one another with things nobody really believes. Just let the effort be real and any gain, no matter how small or long in coming, will eventually be worth it. In appreciation, the effort can be rewarded amply in some other way, no matter how silently.