To help keep youth away from party drugs, PB Oyas suggests strengthening partnership with teachers

Cebu City, Philippines – The chairman of the Cebu Provincial Board’s (PB) Committee on Dangerous Drugs is urging anti-narcotic offices of the government to strengthen their partnership with teachers to help prevent the spreading of party drugs among the youth.

Philippine Councilors League (PCL) President Earl Tidy Oyas, who sits as an ex-officio member of the PB, said  teachers will play an important role in preventing abuse of illegal drugs, including party drugs like ecstasy, among students.

“Ato tingali na i-strengthen atong partnership with the teachers sa school nga ma-aware pod sila regarding that (party drug),” Oyas said.

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“Dako kaayo og responsibility ang mga teachers ana kay dako kaayo silag (students) pananhon sa mga skwelahan. Alas 8 hangtud alas 5 naa gud na sila sa skwelahan,” he added.

Oyas also said that parents should also be aware of the presence and dangers of party drugs so they can properly guide their children.

Read more: CPADAO to set up anti-drug kiosks in 12 Cebu province public high schools

Leia Albiar, Information Officer of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7), said their office is already in close coordination with schools and workplaces in facilitating illegal drugs demand reduction.

“We have a very strong relationship with schools. In fact, we have a preventive education and community involvement section. That section receives requests from institutions to conduct drug awareness seminars and other demand reduction activities,” said Albiar.

Albiar added that drug awareness seminars are an important factor in solving the drug problem as it aims to reduce the demand for illegal drugs through awareness of its ill effects.

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Following the death of a 19-year-old student in Cebu City due to an overdose of ecstasy during a pre-Sinulog concert in January, the PB passed a resolution authored by majority floor leader Jude Thaddeus Sybico asking the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) to exert equal effort in deterring party drugs as they do with crystal meth or shabu.

“Atong i-encourage sa kapulisan nga mo-focus pod unta sila anang dapita  (party drugs) kay more on shabu man gud ang ilang gihingusgan karon,” Oyas said.

Read more: Province to PDEA-7: Exert same effort in deterring party drugs as with shabu

“Luoy kaayo ang bata nga 19 years old. Mao man pod ning mga edara gud nga magsuway2 ba unya matimingan nga di kaya sa imong lawas diay. Hopefully, ma-strengthen gyod sa atong kapolisan ang paggukod anang ecstacy, which kahibaw ta nga lisod,” Oyas added.

Read more: PDEA-7 head says it’s more challenging going after party drugs

PDEA-7 Regional Director Wardley Getalla, said in an earlier interview that they are closely coordinating with owners of leisure establishments such as bars and discotheques to help them identify sources and distributors of illegal drugs. /bmjo