Youth from uptown barangays converge for talk on drugs

CEBU, Philippines - More than 300 representatives of the youth sector in Cebu City’s uptown barangays attended a talk on drug awareness yesterday at the City Hall.

Organized by the Cebu City Progressive Uptown Movement, the half-day talk of youth-delegates from 10 uptown barangays aimed at addressing society’s problems associated with the drug menace.

Bill Hillditch, president of the movement, said that participants of the activity are youth from barangays Kamputhaw, Zapatera, Carreta, Kamagayan, Day-as, Cogon-Ramos, Sambag I, Sambag II, Capitol Site, and Santa Cruz.

The movement is established under the Office of Vice Mayor Michael Rama.

Rama, for his part, said that the initiative will also touch on vandalism and existence of gangs aside from formulating solutions to related problems such as on the abuse of volatile substances.

Speakers in yesterday’s affair included Felix Lazarte of the Cebu Office of Substance Abuse and Prevention, Senior Supt. Pablo Labra of the Cebu City Police Office, and Randy Pedroso who is the director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Rotary Club of Cebu South, of Cebu East, Gloria Maris, of Toledo West, and of El Pardo de Cebu supported the affair.

CCPUM is an organization which claims to be the “voice of the uptown business sector” that aims to bridge the efforts of the city government in providing collaborative business environment through inter-business assistance, development programs and other opportunities. — Ferliza C. Contratista/MEEV   (FREEMAN NEWS)