NYC launches drug caravan

THE National Youth Commission (NYC), the voice and advocate of the youth, in partnership with the Dangerous Drug Board (DDB) launched its nationwide caravan about the ill-effects of substance abuse and dependence.

The campaign includes interactive plenary sessions, panel discussions and the launching of the “Barkada Kontra Droga – Bagets’ Edition” program.

The duration of the caravan is from August to November, wherein it will be held in the different cities around the country such as Baguio, Naga, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Zamboanga City and Metro Manila.

Cooperating agencies of the said caravan include DDB, NYC, Departments of Interior and Local Government, Education, and Social Welfare and Development and Health, Commission on Higher Education and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

With the theme, “Intensifying youth empowerment efforts to zero-in on drug abuse and prevention control,” NYC held its campaign yesterday at the UC Main Campus on Sanciangko Street, Cebu City.

It was participated by the different schools and youth organizations in Cebu.

Lectures on the concepts and approaches of drug abuse, ill-effects, signs and symptoms of drug abuse, were given by representatives of PDEA, DDB and NYC.

According to Erwin Andaya, NYC Commissioner representing the Visayas, people ages 15-30 years old belong to the ‘youth’ bracket.

Based on their 2010 National Youth Assessment Study, 26 – 48 percent of the youth are drop-outs from school because of financial difficulties that eventually led to drug abuse and dependence.

“75 percent of the 15-30 years old agree that substance abuse is a way of forgetting problem,” Andaya added.

Frances Ann Teves of DDB mentioned the common drugs abused in the region are shabu, marijuana and rugby.

Jyxyuzcky Escrupolo, intelligent officer II and chief of preventive education and community, said Cebu becomes a transhipment area of drugs because it is located at the central area where shipments of drugs came from Metro Manila and Mindanao.

“Security in local and international ports must be intensified,” said Escrupolo.

In Cebu City, PDEA – 7 has identified four barangays as drug hotspots — Pasil, Duljo, Ermita and A. Lopez.

The campaign also launched DDB’s Barkada Kontra Droga (BKD), a peer-based program designed as education and information tool to counter the dangers and disastrous effects of drug abuse.

The program was piloted in 2005 in Cainta, Antipolo and Tanay in Rizal province. The DDB has already organized 59 BKD chapters with a total of 28,634 members nationwide. /CORRESPONDENT JOY CHERRY QUITO