CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) will launch its education campaign against illegal drugs this coming July 3 at the Carreta and Tejero Elementary Schools.
COSAP head former Barangay Tejero councilman Garry Lao came up with such move in order to educate the children and minors the ill-effects of illegal drugs to their lives.
He said it is important that children know about illegal drugs while they are young, so that they would not attempt to try it out of curiosity upon learning it outside the school.
“We have to inform them you know this is drugs mao ni siya ang epekto either they will learn drugs inside the school or outside the school. So, mao ng ato gyud silang pasabton kay og dili nato sila mapasabot sa bata pa, in the next generation, ang atong mga kabatan-onan karon malulong gyud sa dautang bisyo,” Lao told The FREEMAN.
If permitted, Lao said he wants to present before the children how a drug addict looks like.
“Ipakita lang namo. Syempre, the students will react. Mangatawa, pero at least makita nila nga mao ni epekto. I-instill nato ang fear nga mao ni ang dangatan kon mogamit ana. So, that’s one of the reason nganong ato ng ipasabot,” Lao added.
COSAP is also expected to hold similar education drive to other elementary schools in the city, numbering about 68.
In a separate interview, DepEd Schools Division Superintendent Bianito Dagatan said they are in favor of this move of COSAP.
“No problem about it. It is in line with DepEd’s intensified national drug education program and drug-free workplace program. Anybody that helps DepEd on the matter is welcome,” he told The FREEMAN.
Lao said the education drive is a coordinated effort of COSAP along with the Cebu City Police Office and DepEd-Cebu City.
Lao also wants to activate the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) of the 80 barangays in the city in order to play a role in their campaign.
He said that not all BADAC are still functioning in their respective jurisdiction, adding that some of the plans BADAC had submitted were not implemented thoroughly.
He is hopeful that by the end of the month of July or by mid of August, all BADAC will be activated.
Meanwhile, he divulged that Mayor Tomas Osmeña will sign the executive order (EO) convening the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) within this week.
“The mayor already told me that he already drafted the EO. It’s still on review sa city legal office tungod kay we have to lay out the composition on the CADAC,” Lao said.
Since he assumed office last June 1, two barangays – Kamputhaw and Taptap – have already undergone a random drug test.
Lao is grateful to those barangay captains who terminated the garbage loaders and tanods found positive for drug use during the random drug test. (FREEMAN)