DAVAO CITY, Philippines — – Starting June, students in formal education from Grades 4 to 12 in both public and private schools and the Alternative Learning System (ALS) will take lessons on drug education.
The enhancement of school curricula with the inclusion of the “science of addiction” is part of the Davao city government’s campaign to prevent and control drug abuse here.
The drug education lessons have been approved by Education Secretary Leonor Briones for Davao.
Initiated by the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC), the drug education instructional materials and its integration in the elementary, secondary and tertiary were products of hardwork of the DepEd technical teams from evaluators, writers, illustrators for the formal education and ALS.
Dubbed the CADAC Drug Education Modules, the lessons in Science of Addiction are the Physiology and Pharmacology, Co-Occurring Disorders, Treatment and Management, Community Development and the Role of Higher Education Institutions in the implementation of the program Tabangan Atong Reformists Aron Naay Asenso (TARA NA) and the sustainability of the Community Based Recovery Support System (CBRAP).
There’s also the Recovery and Relapse Prevention, Department of Health Program, Science of Addiction Alcoholism, Risk Factors of Drug Use and Abuse, and Stress lead to drug use. The Modules are included in Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH).
The CADAC Modules were finally launched Friday at the Royal Mandaya Hotel after these were pilot tested in March.
At the launching, CADAC Action officer Michael Denton Aportadera said the program is the only way to protect the children from drugs.
He said it the best option given that drugs already affected a lot of families and has become an epidemic.
Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio lauded the project as it is being the first in the country.
Mayor Sara described drug education modules as a “breakthrough and the first of its kind” as it brings together efforts of various agencies – the city government, health, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
The modules will enter the DepEd portal and can be used by all teachers in the country.
Health Assistant Secretary from Mindanao, Dr. Abdullah Dumama, lauded the project as this would “strengthen the campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte.”
The Department of Health (DoH), Dumama said, has also its support programs offered in Treatment Rehabilitation Centers, which are established nationwide.
In Mindanao TRCs are located in Bukidnon and in Malagos, Davao City. DoH will be setting up in Zamboanga and Cotabato.
Ronald Rivera, adviser of the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) for community organizing, said Enhanced ALS was an initiative of the city government to help not only drug reformists but the whole population to understand illegal drugs and drug addiction.
Rivera said CADAC thought of educating the children on drug addiction as a strategy rather than advocacy strategy because the drug reformists or the youth would be able to retrieve all information. -Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA
