New anti-drug drive kicks off

More than one million people are expected to participate in the Lakbay Kontra Droga 2004, a seven-day caravan that kicks off today in 14 cities and towns all over the country, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. said yesterday.

Lina, who also chairs the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), said the caravan’s overall objective is to further strengthen community involvement in the fight against illegal drugs and fulfill President Arroyo’s vision of a drug-free Philippines by 2010.

The Office of the President, DDB, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, as well as local government units, are set to participate in the caravan.

Lina identified the 14 cities and towns that will serve as the caravan’s "starting points" as Sorsogon City, Abra de Ilog in Mindoro Occidental, Roxas City in Mindoro Oriental, Brooke’s Point and Dumaran in Palawan, San Jose in Antique, San Carlos City and Sipalay in Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Tagbilaran City, Toledo City, Vallehermoso and Basay in Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.

He added that anti-drug symposia, slogan contests and film showings will be held at these cities and towns. The Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Committees at these areas will also update their anti-drug watch lists.

Thirty-five other cities and municipalities nationwide will also serve as stopovers and converging areas for the caravan. Other regions will have the anti-drug caravan start on Feb. 17. A grand culminating activity will be held on Feb. 22 at the Philippine International Convention Center open field.

Lina said that households all over the country will be given flyers and leaflets containing information on the ill effects of illegal drugs during the seven-day caravan.

Government agencies and sectors participating in the caravan will also undertake a signature campaign called Pirma Kontra Droga, wherein people will affirm their commitment to help the government in its campaign against illegal drugs.

Some 20,000 people, particularly those from the transport sector, will also be beneficiaries of free drug testing during the caravan.

The government is also offering free rehabilitation to some 2,500 drug dependents who voluntarily turn themselves in or are turned in by their parents or relatives for rehabilitation.

Lina encouraged the public to actively participate in the activities lined up during the seven-day caravan at the designated convergence areas in their respective regions.

"This caravan shall emphasize the government’s determined and resolute campaign against illegal drugs and for the people to similarly demonstrate their support for this crusade," he said.

Drug use among adolescents and young adults almost doubled, from six percent who admitted using any form of illegal drugs in 1994 to 11 percent in 2002, according to the results of the 2002 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study conducted by the UP Population Institute and the Demographic Research and Development Foundation.