LGU Naga seek inclusion of anti-illegal drug agenda in High School curriculum

By Jason B. Neola

NAGA CITY --- A multi-sector consultation is what the local government unit here is pushing in partnership with the Department of Education to be able to develop and implement an anti-illegal drug abuse program that will be included in the curriculum being offered to Junior and Senior High School.

The initiative is being pursued under city ordinance 2018-060 that mandates the development and integration of a localized, values-based and holistic anti-illegal drug abuse curriculum for the high school level.

Authored by City Councilor Joselito S.A. Del Rosario, the measure seeks to address the growing concern about the proliferation of illegal drugs and their cumulative effects, especially on young individuals.

“We proposed to develop and implement a formal, long-term, values-based and multi-dimensional anti-illegal drug abuse program that can be integrated into junior and senior high school curriculum,” says Del Rosario.

Last Friday’s stakeholders’ summit jumpstarted the move to develop the needed learning modules for the anti-illegal drug abuse program curriculum.

The summit has obtained participation from representatives of different government line agencies, judiciary, business leaders, community officials and volunteer workers, leaders of various civic and religious organization, officials from the academe and members of the youth sector.

Underscoring the importance of the program, Del Rosario said that the laudable efforts being undertaken by the Department of Education and the Philippine National Police to steer the youth away from illegal substances should be strengthened.

He said that the complexity and extensiveness of the problem, and the stakes at hand, should be countered by mightier and stronger line of attack.

“We should spare no efforts to attack it in any way we can and complement the current solutions being pushed by the national government and some private organizations,” he said.