DAGUPAN CITY HOLDS ANTI-DRUG SYMPOSIUM AMONG EDUCATORS, PARENTS

By Felisandelle C. De Vera

The Dagupan City government held an anti-drug symposium last July 12  on the theme "Keeping our Schools, Barangays and Communities Safe from Drugs which was attended by 221 participants from the education sector and officials of the Parents

Teachers Association (PTA).

The seminar answered  various queries from teachers, parents and concerned citizens on what to do or how to deal with situations regarding the illegal drug trade.

City Administrator Farah Decano welcomed  the participants  by asking questions on why drug abuse still thrives  in the city despite the presence of many courageous individuals.

In her  message, Decano said  that through the guidance of the Dagupan City Drug Abuse Council (DCDAC) and other supporting offices, "we must disseminate information so that  we may be able to use our courage properly".

Meanwhile, Supt. Christopher Abrahano, police chief, said that now is the time for the city to wake up and do its part in fighting drugs given the fact that five of the 31 barangays in the city were identified as drug hot spots with the other barangays having at least one case of drug abuse each.

Since January 2013, the Dagupan City Police Station (DCPS) conducted   95 operations that led to the arrest of 159 persons  and the seizure of P2.9 million worth  of  illegal drugs.

Abrahano, who is vice chairman of the Dagupan City Drug Abuse Council,  assured that  the police are doing everything to stump  out  illegal drugs  in the city and is now bringing its educational campaign  in schools and the barangays.

 “Your government is doing something about it, the police is doing something about it. Let us all help each other  in this endeavor . . . in the greatest fight of our lives," Abrahano said.

Meanwhile, Dagupan City Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Gloria R. Torres encouraged teachers to join and win  the fight against the drug menace,adding that the education sector is one with Mayor  Belen Fernandez in her  crusade against illegal drugs and in making the city drug free. 

Torres   announced that DEPED staff and teachers will  undergo a mandatory drug testing sometime in August adding "it's about time to get to know who among our people are really into drugs".

She said no one can ever tell who is into drugs  "unless we have the data, and that data can be known by subjecting ourselves and our people with the drug 

Various lectures on drugs and drug abuse were given by P/SI Bernabe Ramos, P/SI John Corpuz who  briefed  the participants on the drug situation in the city and on how the police work on drug cases. 

 Meanwhile, City Prosecutor Joven Maramba updated the participants  on Republic Act 9165 and went on to lecture on the role of the School Administrators and Teachers as persons in authority, campus security and other safety measures.

PDEA Legal Officer IV Atty. Alan Ancheta enlightened the group on the enforcement of the anti-drugs law'while DDB-DOH Treatment and Rehabilitation head Raymond Basbas gave details and lectures on how to identify a drug user, their signs and symptoms.