BAUKO, Mountain Province (PIA) — Cognizant of the role of local officials in the government’s efforts for the prevention of substance abuse and the rehabilitation of drug users, the Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (DATRC)-Mountain Province convened barangay officials in the municipality of Bauko on November 21,2024 for an information education campaign.
The activity aimed to educate local officials on substance abuse prevention and their roles and functions in drug prevention and control program in the grassroots level. Local government units are essential in the roll out of the Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Program.
Participants were also oriented on the services being offered at the newly opened outpatient department of the DATRC located at the Luis Hora Regional Memorial Hospital compound in barangay Abatan.
As a parent and a barangay official, Beatrice Banno from Bagnen Proper said she learned through the event that parents need to spend more time with their children. She hopes for the conduct of more activities on drug abuse prevention.
“Kas parente, nan naadal ko isdi dapat ay makikuwa isnan nayda ay uubing tapno maiwasan da nan barkada, maiwasan da nan mensigarilyo. Kasapulan mi met laeng nan ad-adu ay tulong, advice kendakami tapno wada paylang nan maitapi ay iadvise mi abe isnan uubing,” she said.
[As a parent, I have learned that we need to talk to our children so that they avoid gangs, they avoid vices. We also need more help, advices on drug-related issues and prevention initiatives so that we can further teach our children.]
Local officials assured support to activities and programs to help improve awareness and strategies in preventing or addressing drug abuse.
Kagawad John Bugnosen of barangay Bila said that prevention is necessary especially that are no records of drug abuse in their community.
“Actually, maid ammo tako ay drug abuse cases hinan nay barangay mi isunga kasla nan concentrate tako lang hinan prevention anay. Iorient da han nay uubing ,ieducate daida hinan nay prevention, katungtung daida amin ta di padpadasen kuma pay laeng,” he said.
[We do not have cases of drug abuse in our community that is why we need to concentrate on prevention. We have to orient the children/youth,talk to them and educate them about drug about drug-related issues so that they will not try drugs.]
Barangay Poblacion Kagawad Lourdes Sapdoy shared that they plan to include drug prevention campaigns in their barangay day. She said that parents play a part in the campaign.
“Han plano kuma wada han People’s Day mi every third Sunday of the month et maigather kami amin hidi ay kumunidad tapno maibaga ta magsi ila hinan uubbing na, mangbagbaga hi an-ak na ta adi da kuma maimimpluwensya hinan kagdey da ay barkada ya bisyo,” she said.
[Our plan is to inform parents during our People’s Day every third Sunday to look after their children, to teach them, advise them not to be influenced by bad company (friends) or vices.]
Sangguniang Kabataan member Omar Jordan Cayda from Abatan added that they plan to do drug prevention campaign in December.
The info campaign was one of the highlights of DATRC-Mt. Province’s observance of Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week with the theme, “Prioritizing Health- based Approach in Drug Abuse Prevention and Control.” (JDP/CVBT-PIA CAR, Mountain Province)
