Google map of Iligan City.
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Local government units (LGUs) and regional government agencies joined the worldwide celebration of the "World Drug Day" on Wednesday, focusing on youth drug abuse prevention.
Dr. Rhyselle Bernadette Melliza-Descallar, chief of the Anti-Drug Abuse Division-Oro Wellness Center, said the city staged several activities with the youth comprising most participants.
"Not only do we talk about drug prevention, but we also partnered with the City Health Office to talk about tuberculosis, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) awareness because taking illegal drugs can also cause these diseases (through the use of paraphernalia)," Descallar said in a radio interview.
Descallar said the Oro Wellness Center has been active in drug rehabilitation programs through a community-based support system and aftercare.
Meanwhile, 1st District City Councilor Romeo Calizo said the LGU has launched several anti-drug campaigns that have resulted in lower crime rates in the city.
"It's clear that if we look at the drug situation in the city today compared to years back, there's a big difference," he said.
In Valencia City, the LGU celebrated the finishers of the Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Program (CBDRP).
The CBRP is a consolidated community treatment model supervised by the Department of the Interior and Local Government. Its services range from general interventions to relapse prevention.
In Iligan City, its LGU and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Northern Mindanao (PDEA-10) office reopened the Balay Silangan Reformation Center in Barangay Abuno.
The reformation center was initially launched on Oct. 2, 2019, utilizing the existing Iligan City Drug Treatment Rehabilitation Center building. The first batch of 24 enrollees graduated on Dec. 24, 2019, coinciding with the groundbreaking of the permanent facility.
In Lanao del Norte province, PDEA-10 spearheaded the Buhay Ingatan Droga'y Ayawan (BIDA) and lectured on the Drug-Free Workplace Program for government employees in Munai town.
World Drug Day, also known as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, is observed in recognition of the United Nations International Day against drug abuse and the illegal drug trade. (PNA)
