Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Ugly face of drugs make studes crusade

SEEING the ill effects of habitual use and misuse of illegal drugs, students of the JH Cerilles State College pledged they will not let the menace enter their college grounds.

Some 300 students from the five campuses of JHCSC aired their pledge last Dec. 2 during the launching of the Barkada Kontra Droga (BKD) program of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) at the Amusement and Events Center, here.

The BKD is a program which aims to utilize peer pressure in enabling college students to live a drug-free life.

The students said they understood the consequences of illegal drugs like health and social problems, injuries, violence, accidents and even deaths, including dependence or mental illness.

The students are from the JHCSC campuses of Margosatubig, Lapuyan, Sominot, Dumingag and Pagadian City. They said they were in high spirits while taking part in the discussions and open forums facilitated by DDB officials.

Assistant Sec. Rommel Garcia, DDB deputy executive director for administration, and party led the whole day affair at the AEC along with officials of the Parole and Probation Administration (PPA) of Justice Department-9 led by Reg’l Dir. Rosa Lacang-Lacang.

Other PPAs from Regions 10, 11, 12 and CARAGA, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) headed by Drug Enforcement Officer Romel Torres were likewise present.

Governor Aurora Cerilles, who likewise showed support and attended the affair, said the event “helped intensify the advocacy on dangerous drugs at the local level, particularly among the high school and college students.”

It was also a good venue in discussing face-to-face the concerns about illegal drugs with the youth, whom are said to be the hope of the Fatherland, as well as the “drug targets,” the governor added.

In line with the programs of the Provincial Anti-Dangerous Drug Advocacy Council (PADDAC) headed by board member Ernesto Mondarte, he disclosed that a random drug–testing is conducted among high school and college students, including, provincial employees and officials.

The governor retorted that the program will help in determining the degree of drug abuse in certain areas and serve as a basis for DDB and other agencies in conducting and implementing policies that will address the problems on dangerous drugs.

Furthermore, Cerilles urged the youth to shy away from illegal drugs and join forces with the government in its fight to make Zambosur a drug-free province by 2010.

REPORT FROM THE ZAMBOSUR PROVINCIAL PRESS BUREAU