Anti-drug program for youths planned

To prevent drug-related violence among youth gangs and pseudo-fraternities in the town, the municipality of San Francisco in Cebu plans to create an anti-delinquency and substance abuse program.

San Francisco Mayor Aly Arquillano said that the proliferation of gangs in the town has been “controlled” lately, but the creation of such a program will still be helpful.

“We have intensified efforts against drugs in the town, but we haven’t completely eradicated it yet,” he told Cebu Daily News in a phone interview.

An ordinance creating the program is the subject of ongoing public hearings in San Francisco, one of the four towns in the Camotes group of islands in northern Cebu.

Municipal Councilor Hector Capao, chairman of the committee on police matters and public safety, said there is a need for such a program in the town to “contain” the problem of substance abuse especially among the youth.

“Young people begin to experiment with drugs, new social groups, music and their sexuality mostly from the age of 14 and many will explore new ideas, have challenging times with their parents and other authority figures and may begin to act out,” he said in a resolution.

A Youth Guide Drug Prevention and Control Office will be formed by the local anti-drug abuse council to serve as “suppression and intervention unit.”

It will be composed of local government officials and law enforcers, and a head of office appointed by the mayor.

The program will also come up with “transformation” strategies to turn destructive patterns into opportunities.

Trainings on intervention techniques for juvenile and high-risk youth offenders will also be conducted.

The municipality will also pursue the establishment of Youth Centers for Transformation both for high-risk youth offenders and minors in conflict with the law.