Dangerous Drugs Board intensifies Drug Preventive Education
CALAMBA, LAGUNA—Over 50 campus journalists and school paper advisers from the National Capital Region (NCR) attended a seminar- workshop on drug preventive education at Riverview Hotel and Conference Center last July 20 to 22.
The event is a joint effort between Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and Department of Education (DepEd) that aims to upgrade the knowledge and skills of secondary schools students in spreading information on the prevention of drug abuse to general public, particularly the students, through campus journalism.
“Dangerous drug is a menace that affects not only the user, but also his/her family, the community, and country,” Atty. Cesar G. Posada, legal consultant of DDB said.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), in 2002, there are 185 million illicit drug users, 2 billion alcohol users, and 1.3 million smokers.
“Campus journalists are ideal advocates in spreading the government’s anti-drug advocacy. Equipped with a wide range of media, they have the necessary means to disseminate information to their peers and throughout the school,” DDB secretariat Jehnmarie Frias said.
DDB Vice Chief, Ms. Emma Pastorfide pronounced that the Philippines has an on-going battle against illegal drug abuse and trafficking for more than three decades now, since the DDB was established in 1972. DDB commits to eradicate the supply and demand for dangerous drugs, their precursor, and to stop trafficking to and fro from the country.
“The reason why our country is vulnerable to drug trafficking is because we have many entry and exit points,” Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Chief of Legal Affairs, Atty. Francis Del Valle stated.
“From 2010-2016, 147 kilos of shabu (Methamphetamine hydrochloride) was seized in Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) alone,” he added.
“Kayong mga campus journalists, pwede niyong ituloy ang advocacy against drug abuse. It is through our stories, is through our articles,” DDB-OIC in Media Affairs, Ella Marie Dimaculangan said.
In an interview, Thomas Badiola, campus journalist from San Juan mentioned that the event was a good thing because campus journalists are one of the people who can really start change.
